Women of colour have long spoken out about how we have been treated in the workplace. Whether it has been dealing with or , or out and out , having to deal with the dual biases based on gender and race has come at a cost to our wellbeing and how we have progressed in our chosen careers.
Now a conducted by the advocacy group Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) in partnership with Murdoch University has revealed that almost 60 per cent of respondents experienced discrimination in the workplace.
“The findings from the WoCA’s Women of Colour in the Australian Workplace survey are unfortunately not surprising, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg,” Brenda Gaddi, Founder and Managing Director at WoCA tells SBS Voices.
What’s also clear is that for women of colour, the workplace is different from the way others experience it.
“What’s also clear is that for women of colour, the workplace is different from the way others experience it. While the issues of gender diversity and equality are rising up the agenda, thanks to the courage of women who are speaking out, challenges faced by women of colour, and other minoritised groups remain woefully unaddressed.
“When gender and race intersect, it creates specific and unique challenges for women of colour that are too often overlooked,” she says.
“The survey [results] are consistent with those contained in a released by the Diversity Council of Australia and the University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, which found that 59 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers have experienced racism at work based on their appearance and almost a third feel their workplace is culturally unsafe.”
Similarly in 2017, a Diversity Council of Australia , “only one in five culturally diverse women felt their workplace was free of cultural diversity or gender-based biases and stereotypes”.
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The highest number of respondents in the WoCA workplace survey said they earned between $100k-$149,990 per annum. For Gaddi this is proof that even in higher income brackets, WOC face a number of challenges.
“For the women of colour within the higher income bracket, they face stagnation in the workplace and lack of opportunities such as not being considered for promotions, not having the same access to training and coaching as white colleagues, and some women of colour even mentioned they were paid less than their Anglo peers,” she says.
“While it’s great to see many respondents to our survey were women of colour in relatively senior positions, it was also made clear through the comments that it came at a cost. Women of colour have to work twice as hard to get to that level, they are often undermined by their colleagues and peers, some of their differences are constructed or seen as not being competent enough, and they experience constant microaggressions which are impacting their mental health.”
Gaddi also spoke about some of the respondents in the survey who faced discrimination at work and how they dealt with it.
“Some attempted to make complaints with HR which fell on deaf ears and left them with no other choice but to leave those workplaces," she says. "Our research shows that 32 per cent of respondents said they wouldn’t be heard if they were to address some of the discriminatory issues and 33 per cent were unsure.
For the most part, women of colour resort to 'code-switching' to try to fit into white spaces.
“For the most part, women of colour resort to 'code-switching' to try to fit into white spaces by adjusting and adapting their behaviour, appearance and language to avoid highlighting negative stereotypes in work environments.”
‘Code-switching’ or changing one’s behaviour, speech, or appearance to conform to a different cultural norm, is a strategy where they are in the minority.
Gaddi mentions how, “in recent research into diversity and inclusion in Australian workplaces by , 62 per cent admitted to concealing part of their identity from their colleagues all or some of the time.”
So what’s the solution?
“First of all, businesses need to pull apart their Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) initiatives and start again” Gaddi says. “Our survey revealed that 60 per cent have experienced discrimination in the workplace related to their identity as a woman of colour, despite almost the same number (59 per cent) saying their workplace has a Diversity & Inclusion policy in place.
"Businesses need First Nations women and women of colour at the table to centre the voices and lived experiences of women who are minoritised and racialised. It’s imperative to allow lived experiences to guide and shape their D&I policies, if they want to create long-lasting, meaningful and positive change.”
Businesses need First Nations women and women of colour at the table to centre the voices and lived experiences of women who are minoritised and racialised.
Professional development opportunities were also important.
“Many of our respondents named mentoring as critical to their future professional development, as well as stronger professional networks, coaching and counselling.”
Ultimately for Gaddi, “enacting meaningful structural change is fundamental,” to creating long-lasting and positive change for women of colour in the workplace.
Saman Shad is a freelance writer.
