Ways to “Take up Space”
By Ethel Barnes
Social and health disparities are increasingly being analyzed from an intersectional lens. This emergence is in response to the widespread prevalence of misinterpreted data on diverse communities. Such data fail to account for the nuanced experiences of multifaceted groups, especially at the intersection of gender and race.
Beyond academia, identifying and addressing gender and racial disparities has been explored in social settings and corporate environments where Black women and women of colour generally encounter gendered racism. Racialized people and women are two social identities distant from dominant categories prevalent in such settings, that is, non-ethnic minorities and men.
As members of minority categories, racialized women in corporate and professional environments commonly experience acts of exclusion or encounter discriminatory behaviour. A common consensus among Black women and women of colour is code-switching to embrace the dominant culture at work.
Other patterns include diminishing aspects of their personality to avoid making colleagues feel uncomfortable or often times being the only racialized person at work. These challenges have been shown to take a toll on mental health and well-being.
What does it mean to “take up space”?
The cultural expression to take up space means to broaden one’s thoughts, concerns, passions, and needs in social spheres where one is usually underrepresented. It is the opposite of hiding or blending in, but rather making it known that one is visible.
Effective ways to take up space among racialized women advancing in corporate settings is emphasized by Deepa Purushothaman, author of The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America. She suggests the following:
Let go of Imposter Syndrome. Learn to value your capabilities and avoid negative self-talk.
Know your inherent worth. Reject microaggressions and false stereotypes upheld by others that challenge your competence.
Change workplace culture. Figure out what makes you whole, healthy, and happy while joining a community to realize you are not alone.
Redefine leadership. Turn your lived experiences into strengths.
Power. Work collectively to push for organizational change.