Equality should be a top priority for all of us, and the media, politics and corporate worlds need to be more diverse. And when it comes to diversity initiatives, true intent is key. Otherwise, it is just a mere facade.
In general, tokenism is the inclusion of someone in a group simply for the purpose of sounding or appearing diverse. Tokenism is not real. Instead, they keep up appearances.
Here’s everything you need to know about tokenism and why it’s so controversial.
The idea of tokenism is based on the inclusion of one person in a group, for example, to show that the group is diverse. This token person may be invited to join the group based on things like the following, rather than merit:
“Tokenism occurs when someone is viewed by a dominant majority group as [a representative] Minority groups, like black people surrounded by white people,” said Kristen Martinez, a counselor at Pacific Northwell in Seattle. health. “In this example, the only black person is placed in a position to speak on a variety of topics on behalf of black people across the African diaspora.”
Martinez said the practice has become a hot topic because this incident has made many people fed up with superficial indicators of diversity and inclusion that don’t lead to real structural change in our society. Ta.
“After witnessing the riots surrounding the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, and more generalized demands for real social justice with concrete and systemic change, tokenism It stands out as false, placated and ignorant,” Martinez said.
The media and entertainment industry often tokenizes people by including one woman, one person of color, and one gay person on discussion panels and television shows.
But casting certain people just because you feel you have to is not true diversity. True diversity means casting the right person for the role and still end up with a diverse group of actors.
Tokenism also occurs in politics, businesses, and offices. “When you see someone who has a marginalized identity and whose only role is to fill a seat to appease people who want more diversity and accurate representation, that’s tokenism,” Martinez said.
Not all attempts to increase diversity are tokenism. But certain things cause us to lose it, says Joe Eckler, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of I Can’t Fix You—Because You’re Not Broken. Said health.
One sign is mentioning identity in situations where it is not justified. “If someone is referred to by their identity, while other employees are not, that person may be a token (e.g., ‘Mr. Khan, our South Asian female director’),” Eckler explained. ..
Tokenism can also occur during presentations. “Another common example of tokenism is when someone is asked to present at a conference, but it is always more about the identity of the person in the field than the independence of their work. “Some things are important, like being a woman in technology,” Eckler said. Added.
Eckler says it’s not necessarily a bad thing to make such a presentation or include someone’s identity when referring to them. But if it happens often in certain environments, it’s tokenism.
Tokenism does not promote diversity. The author of the July 2022 article pointed out that tokenism generally has three major negative effects:
- Increased attention from others (leading to pressure)
- Further separation of non-tokenized groups from groups
- Associating stereotypes with groups to which tokenized individuals belong
Considering these effects, tokenism has a serious impact on an individual’s mental health. For example, the authors of a 2020 article cited the idea that tokenism can cause depression, burnout, attrition, and minority taxes.
Below, we detail how tokenism can play a role in mental health.
feeling of isolation
When someone experiences tokenism, they may feel alone. “As you can imagine, tokenism is lonely!” Eckler said. That loneliness may stem from not having anyone who understands you and your identity.
“When you’re the only person, or one of several people, who share your identity, you can feel isolated. When a microaggression occurs, it’s hard to seek support or validation. If you find yourself stuck in a token situation, that’s because you don’t have a mentor or supportive community within your organization. It’s important to find a supportive community,” Eckler added.
attract attention
Additionally, being a token gives you a much greater presence within your organization. “Think about being the only person of color in an all-white workplace, or the only woman in a boardroom full of men,” Eckler said.
But being in the spotlight isn’t always a good thing. “This visibility can come with intense scrutiny and pressure to represent the entire group,” Eckler added.
And that pressure can cause other problems. “Naturally, people who are tokens often experience stress and depression as well as anxiety. They may even be driven to overwork in order to try to be a ‘good’ representative of society.” There may be. [that] “Identity groups can lead to fatigue, guilt, shame, and burnout,” Eckler explained.
lack of approval
At the same time, when you are a token, you can feel invisible, especially if your accomplishments go unrecognized or your contributions are ignored.
“You may also feel that people within your organization don’t really know you as an individual and only see you as representative of your identity (race, gender, etc.),” Eckler says. This invisibility is not only lonely; It can lead to frustration, anger, helplessness, and depression.
Experiences of burnout, exhaustion, and stress
Burnout is caused by uncontrollable stress at work. As a result, you may have low energy, have negative feelings about work, and be less efficient at work.
Tokenized people can experience burnout, exhaustion, and stress. The authors of an August 2022 article found that professionals working in the field of diversity and inclusion associated burnout with:
- Tokenism experience
- Lack of clear job description and support from managers
- conflicting job responsibilities
trapped in a fixed mindset
Some may be chosen to educate others about their identity. For example, a transgender employee may be expected to lead sensitivity training or be the go-to person for all things related to transgender issues, even if they don’t want to. yeah.
If being bilingual is part of your identity, you may be asked to take over everything that requires translation. “Another more subtle example is when the whole room is looking at you. [race or gender] That question arises, and we expect you to be an expert on diversity issues,” Eckler said.
If true inclusion involves recognizing and respecting people’s backgrounds, experiences, and identities as oppressed individuals, then tokenism completely erases the complexity of those identities.
“You are a walking, talking poster boy for the marginalized groups you have helped represent,” Martinez said. “You may feel worried and preoccupied with always being on your best behavior as a role model for minority groups and ensuring you don’t intentionally or unintentionally propagate stereotypes.”
the need for vigilance
Overall, tokenism may require individuals to fend for themselves. “We are always on guard and extremely vigilant against the possibility of microaggressions and violence,” Martinez added. “You may get the impression that no one fully understands who you are, or even tries to understand.”
Tokenism is a practice in which people from minority groups are singled out to make the larger group appear more diverse. However, this practice is neither healthy for the person experiencing it nor beneficial for the person practicing it. Therefore, it is important to understand what tokenism is and how to avoid it.
