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OUR MESSAGING, INTENTIONS, AND ROLES


OUR MESSAGING, INTENTIONS, AND ROLES


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Addressing subtle acts of exclusion means understanding where they come from and
how they work. This can be difficult primarily because they’re, well, subtle!
And not just that, they’re also often the product of unconscious biases, those
preconceived notions we have about others that we don’t necessarily consciously
agree with.

We need to understand the framework of SAE, how the different types communicate
implicit messages of exclusion, and how even well-intentioned comments can
create SAE.

 
The Messages Delivered

Many SAE can communicate multiple things at the same time, but these are a few
of the most common messages broadcasted:


 * You are invisible.
 * You (or people like you) are inadequate.
 * You are not an individual.
 * You don’t belong.
 * You are a curiosity.
 * You are a threat.
 * You are a burden.

 
The Intent Behind SAE
Not all SAE come from bad intentions, though that doesn’t negate the impact that
they have. Pay attention to the following types of well-intentioned ways many
people exclude others: 


 * Compliment: “You hold yourself very professionally.”
 * Curiosity: “What do you call that twisty hairstyle?”
 * Comforting: “You’re from Jamaica? I love Bob Marley!”
 * Humorous: “Can we get el mucho discounto?”

 
The Roles We Play

Subject: The person who is excluded by the act is the subject, and they can be
present or not. Initiator: Through actions or speech, the person who does the
SAE is the initiator.Observer: An observer is anyone who overhears or sees an
SAE, and they play an important role. By speaking up and addressing the root
causes of an SAE, they can become an ally.Ally: Allies are those who may not be
affected by the SAE personally, but who speak up in favor of those who
are. Bystander: Those who witness SAE but don’t speak up are bystanders.


All of us can play a role when it comes to subtle acts of exclusion in the
workplace. Moreover, our roles can change depending on the scenario. Can you
think of an instance where you may have been the subject of a SAE? What about a
time in which you were a bystander?

Acknowledging the existence and importance of subtle acts of exclusion then
recognizing your role in how they play out are essential first steps in
addressing them. But it’s also important to remember that these can be sticky
situations! Everyone doesn’t have the same privileges and the variables
surrounding SAE can make the observer role especially complex.

In some ways, we’re programmed to be bystanders. In fact, the bystander effect
is a psychological phenomenon that suggests individuals are less likely to speak
up depending on how many other people are witnessing the same event.

Next Steps: From acknowledging the roles you’ve played to becoming a better
listener to getting in touch with your own marginalizations, Jana and Baran’s
book Subtle Acts of Exclusion offers loads of advice and helpful scenarios for
better understanding SAE and what we can all do to help stop them from
happening.


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