Visions Journal

Will Shelling, MPPGA

Reprinted from the Is It Safe to Be Me? Creating inclusive and accessible workspaces issue of Visions Journal, 2024, 20 (1), pp. 11-13

Understanding intersectionality in context

Intersectionality describes the various ways someone's identity can influence how they interact with policies and processes—from accessing social services to barriers in formal education. It is a theory and a practice that's entered the mainstream through podcasts, infographics on social media and government policies like the BC's Anti-Racism Data Act, which will collect data to remove race-based barriers to government services.¹

It's inevitable that our mental health can be tied easily to our occupations. We spend so much of our lives at work. For many, mental health and intersectionality may seem difficult to mesh, like fitting a square peg into a round hole. But an intersectional lens, when understood and applied clearly, can lead to improved employee retention and support, especially regarding mental health at work.

Intersectionality explained

Defined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980s, intersectionality is "the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination combine... especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups."²

Growing up in the US as a mixed-race Black child in the early 2000s gave me a specific lived experience, different from the experience of others I've known in my adult years, who share similar identity components to me but grew up in Canada. This means policies, processes and, especially, the news impact me differently. Visceral imagery of police violence and racist violence against Black folks during the summer of 2020 remains with me. It's not normal to open your phone and see violent images of people who look like you brutalized. I know I'm not the only one who experiences this feeling today.

As a Black man, I'm impacted by racism every day, through either systemic factors or individual moments I share with other people. However, identifying as a man means I don't experience the unique violence faced by Black women on account of both their gender and race (known as misogynoir).

The Black feminist activist and scholar Audre Lorde once wrote that "there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives."³ Lorde said this in 1982 and her words call us today to understand that racism, sexism and homophobia are not an "issue" that can be addressed in a silo. Each requires complex responses that touch on other "-isms." It's hard to separate anti-racism from disability justice, as the Civil Rights Movement seeded the ground for that movement in the US,⁴ and homophobia cannot be viewed without understanding patriarchy as an oppressive force that harms all.

An intersectional lens on mental health and substance use policy

The core of taking an intersectional approach, especially with workplace policy, means being curious about another person's viewpoint. This requires radical empathy. We need to be honest with ourselves about our workplaces and be vulnerable, especially when accounting for the mental health of employees. Often, this is not a comfortable conversation but starts with questions:

Who? When working on a strategy or policy, you ask: who is present in the room? What biases are brought in? This allows you to critically evaluate which perspectives often receive attention.

What can change? Next, ask: what perspectives are not present? How can you include those people in the development of a strategy or policy? You may need to take a step back to understand who needs to be meaningfully invited into this space.

Who is working hardest? Are those with lived experience of substance use or mental illness subject to more emotional labour than those who do not? How can you even the field of work so everyone can show up fully to create the best policy? Ask: what does it look like to compensate emotional labour? I've seen students compensated for emotional labour on university committees through stipends or grants. In my professional career, I've witnessed EDI work built into positions and given time within the workday, so people don't have to tackle it as extra labour.

What about stigma? There's a possibility that people will not want to participate in EDI work. The stigma of substance use and mental illness stubbornly persists in our workplaces, which may prevent people with lived experience from participating. This could be out of fear of retaliation or being treated differently. Participation can also incite difficult, traumatic memories. It may be best to reach out to community groups or local mental health advocates who can provide vital research and perspective on your workplace strategy.

No longer a "nice to have"

Providing these sorts of policies is no longer considered something that's "nice to have" in the workplace. While protests let groups collectively mobilize for change, recent counterprotests, like those against queer and transgender rights in some Canadian cities, can cause a negative impact on 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the workplace. They are seeing people protest their inclusion in society. This has a detrimental effect on their mental health.

However, for many Black folks, our pain became hyper-visible once again with the visceral images of violence against Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. This happened alongside rampant anti-Asian racism during COVID-19. Workplace mental health policy should include ways for folks of marginalized backgrounds to reach out to managers so they can take a step back and focus on themselves. It can be as simple as ensuring staff feel comfortable speaking up about their experience, or finding a dedicated person in the office who can advocate for them across management.

Finally, young workers are seeing workplace EDI policies as a workplace must-have. Gen Z is looking for supportive and inclusive spaces for marginalized people. They also see EDI as a good indicator of a company's wider commitment safe workplaces.⁵ Every company is competing for the best talent. If the best Gen Z workers have their pick of where to go after graduation, they're likely going to choose a place where they feel supported—or will leave places that aren't keeping up.

Despite what pundits and clickbait media articles say, inclusive workplaces are solidifying their foothold in the market. As our workplaces shift between virtual and in-person, we need more emphasis on people and their mental health to ensure all individuals are supported.

Intersectionality teaches us to use a unique lens to understand specific issues facing marginalized folks and to stay open to new perspectives. Openness is needed to bring in new ideas on topics your office may not have grappled with before, and to make younger workers feel they belong.

For those who are marginalized in the workplace, it's not your job to "fit in" to your workplace. Your employer and colleagues should foster inclusion and champion different opinions to ensure that those who come after you enter a safe place to contribute their fullest selves.