This is a question that many Black women, and women of color in general, ask themselves in the workplace. A rather difficult one that may awake some of the most primal fears in them, from the fear of not belonging to that of not having much value…
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines tokenism as “the policy or practice of making only a symbolic effort”. It’s further defined in the Cambridge dictionary as “something that a person or organization does that seems to support or help a group of people who are treated unfairly in society”. “Tokenism” as a concept has been used for a long time and quite widely to explain, and somehow justify, the barriers women face in traditionally male occupations. However, research shows African-American women tend to experience less satisfying social relationships, less supportive colleagues, and higher levels of stress when faced with instances of tokenism.
Tokenism can take many forms in the workplace, from hiring minorities to fill diversity quotas, to asking a minority to represent or speak on behalf of an entire group or race. The impact of tokenism is certainly multiple-fold for Black women and women of color in the workplace. From feelings of guilt and inadequacy, to over-extending oneself, not to mention feeling demoralized as a result, its consequences are painful and far-reaching. Tokenism also deeply affects one’s mental health as it may lead to isolation, stereotyping and increased pressure on those who are being its objects. As a result, it may also be conducive to mental illnesses such as depression or burnout.
Yet, this “token” impact can also be viewed from a different lens, one that may offer Black women, and women in general as well as minorities, something akin to a competitive advantage. A study co-authored by Harvard Business School’s Assistant Professor of Business Administration Edward Chang shows women and Black professionals being more likely to choose predominantly male or Caucasian teams as long as it would allow them to stand out from the competition, even if it means being a “token”. Despite the painful consequences of it, including isolation, high pressure, as well as mental and emotional pressure, members of under-represented groups may be willing to put themselves at risk in order to advance professionally.
“Am I a token?”
A difficult question to ask oneself for anyone in and outside of the workplace. For Black women at work, one that may prompt inner turmoil, hurt and mental anguish, yet one that may very well be the reality, even when hiding under layers of positive diversity and inclusion messages and initiatives. It’s also a reality that may be used as a competitive advantage to forge one’s advancement in the workplace. Two sides of the same harsh yet very real coin…
Overall, tokenism opens the door to difficult questions, and even more challenging answers for Black women, and women of color in general in the workplace. There is no good answer when it comes to even questioning being a token at work. However, it’s also an opportunity to face the lack of diversity, inclusion and equity plaguing too many institutions, companies and workplaces, and challenge the status quo.
“Am I a token?”
It is a hard question to ask of oneself and others. Yet, it’s one that should bring about increased accountability on everyone’s part. It’s a question that should be followed by other questions such as:
“Why am I the only Black woman or minority in the room?”
“How can we work together to bring in and retain more minorities?”
“What do diversity, equity and inclusion really mean in terms of values in our organizations?”
“How can we begin and continue the work of changing minds, attitudes and actions towards race and gender relations at work?”
Although it is not a tax, the “pink tax” refers to a pricing structure favoring women’s goods and services. According to BALANCE, women pay around 13 percent more for personal care items like body wash, shampoo, lotions, and perfume than men. Even razors targeted at women were 9 percent more expensive. Pink is a common hue for packaging products for women , thus the term “pink tax.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, full-time American women earn 83 cents for every dollar earned by males. Women have been impacted by this discrepancy all of their lives, especially women of color, from the beginning of their professions until retirement. Women also earn less in Social Security and pensions due to lower lifetime incomes than males. This is compounded by the fact women are expected to pay much more for identical products during their lifetimes than males due to lower salaries and higher expenditures on personal care items.
As a result, women tend to make less money overall due to the gender wage gap, yet still pay more than their male counterparts for the same products due to the pink tax. The fact that women often live longer than males adds an even heavier weight to these statistics.
Indeed, the average lifespan for American women is 80.5 years compared to 75 years for men. As such, women are indeed being paid less and charged more. Additionally, they also routinely endure more significant levels of stress, anxiety, social inequity, and lower income than men. This creates massive problems for women, as they end up having fewer savings to pay off debt or build emergency savings.
Another compounding factor of this blatant inequity is that while men tend to accumulate more debt than women, their financial means allow them to take prompt action to pay off debt through debt consolidation or any other debt relief options. Yet, the same thing can’t be said about women who tend to have less savings and need to be more careful about their finances and tax.
The Pink Tax Repeal Act, which “prohibits the selling of equivalent products or services that are charged differently depending on gender,” was reintroduced by Rep. Jackie Speier in June 2021. Since reopening the dialogue, some states have started campaigns to eliminate discriminatory taxes. Twenty-four states have abolished the luxury tax on products used for period care. Gender-based pricing in services like dry cleaning and hair treatment is prohibited in New York City, Miami Dade County in Florida, and California. However, these states may charge higher fees if the service demands more significant time, effort, or expense.
How to avoid paying too much on pink tax
Although the pink tax and inflation won’t go away soon, women may still take action to avoid paying too much on certain products. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned. Here are a few ways to avoid the pink tax:
Purchase gender-neutral goods
Depending on how much you favor nicely curved pink razors or flowery-scented deodorants, as well as how much math you have the time and energy to do when shopping at CVS after work, this may be simpler in principle than in practice. Since men’s and women’s items sometimes come in different sizes, you can’t always just compare costs. Instead, you should calculate the prices per ounce if it is not already stated and compare these.
Consider purchasing products that don’t require two different versions—one for men and one for women—such as shampoos, soaps, and razors. There are also several unscented men’s or gender-neutral bath products available on the market if you don’t want to “smell like a guy.”
Even certain perfumed goods for guys might appeal to ladies. Similar items are subject to the “pink tax,” although occasionally, brand or variety has a more significant impact on price. Many female-focused online merchants also provide pink tax-free personal-care goods via subscription programs if you’d rather stay with feminine alternatives. You may reduce pink tax costs with this method.
Purchase garments that don’t require dry cleaning
Purchase clothing that can be machine-washed, hand-washed, and line-dried, such as no-iron blouses. Even in states like California or Washington, DC, where it is illegal to discriminate against customers based on gender at establishments like hair salons or dry cleaners, you will still be charged extra if you want your long hair trimmed or a nice shirt cleaned.
However, it certainly isn’t easy to find apparel that is initially less expensive, especially if you’re plus-size. There is also limited recourse you have to stop certain shops from charging more for women’s clothing than men’s, other than to protest when you notice it happening.
Purchase reusable menstrual supplies
One of the most sinister aspects of the “pink tax” is that it forces women to purchase goods that men don’t need at higher prices, such as sanitary supplies for instance. While shops or manufacturers cannot legally be held responsible for this disparity, there certainly is a push out there to level the playing field in this regard. Indeed, there is a campaign to make menstruation products free for women, as well as a movement to outlaw sales taxes on tampons as they discriminate against women.
In the meantime, you may save money by utilizing reusable products like the Diva Cup, sea sponge tampons, reusable pads, or Thinx period underwear. In addition to being more environmentally friendly than single-use items, some of these goods could also be healthier to use.
Reduce your use of pricey makeup
This is likely something you already do if you feel at ease doing it. It’s also another example of how gender standards cost women more than males.
Complain against discrimination
Speak up if you see a particular manufacturer or merchant attempting to impose absurd gender pricing on unaware customers! Make a call to the corporate office or the manager. Post a review of the company on social media, contact the consumer protection office in your area, and inform your friends.
In practice, it could be more challenging to outlaw gender-based pricing for goods than services since so many variables are at play, such as packaging and marketing variations, that are acceptable justifications for corporations to charge more. Yet, businesses may change or modify some of their practices if customers cease purchasing particular goods or protest.
Develop greater discernment
It also helps being informed about price discrepancies, and going above and above to locate the most significant goods for the money, regardless of packaging. Speaking up if they notice unfair pricing is another alternative. A powerful way to voice dissatisfaction is to complain on social media, in consumer groups, to local lawmakers, and to the business as well. Consumer behavior can provide manufacturers with valuable information.
When shopping, check if there is a pricing difference between the women’s and men’s versions. If there is, check if the quantity and composition are similar. Take a photo of both goods and include the hashtag #AxThePinkTax if they are identical.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that the pink tax is just one example of how women can be unfairly disadvantaged in the marketplace. By being aware of these issues and addressing them, we can work towards a more equitable society for everyone. It’s high time women set concrete financial goals and work on them.
Author Bio: Attorney Loretta Kilday has more than 36 years of litigation and transactional experience, specializing in business, collection, and family law. She frequently writes on various financial and legal matters. She is a graduate of DePaul University with a Juris Doctor degree and a spokesperson for Debt Consolidation Care (DebtCC) online debt relief forum. Please connect with her on LinkedIn for further information.
PS: Please note this post contains affiliate links.
Many are the professional goals set at the beginning of each new year, both at the individual and at the company level. However, little attention is often paid to diversity and inclusion goals as part of these. Yet, diversity and inclusion are an important part of each and every one of our careers, as they also benefit us all, including the companies and organizations we work in. This is especially important for working women and mothers, who are among the minorities suffering from the very lack or application of diversity and inclusion efforts.
As much as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts have been on the rise lately, what with the COVID pandemic and the recent social justice tragedies, including Georges Floyd’s murder, much work still has to be done in this realm. Moving from an obscure, often misunderstood concept adorned with endless speeches, statistics and numbers, to an actual impactful movement is still very much a work in progress. The reality is, the work of Diversity, Equity and Inclusionis a never ending one. Hence the need for us all to continuously recommit ourselves to it…
Here are 10 DEI goals to consider in our own careers, departments, and or/or organizations:
What does this look like for you? It looks like challenging oneself and others to learn about other cultures around, as well as take action towards being and encouraging others to be more inclusive and equitable.
For me, it looks like teaching and writing with a conscious awareness of my audience, and a commitment to take action to develop more equitable and inclusive content. What does it look like for you and your department or organization?
Support diversity and inclusion in your teams
Another important DEI goal is the support of diversity and inclusion initiatives in the environments that we’re part of. This can take many forms, from becoming an ally to an under-represented minority, to advocating in favor of increased diversity and inclusion. Your support can make a world of difference to one person, and by extension to an entire team or organization.
What is your support of DEI be this year?
Support the hiring AND retention of more diverse employees
Research shows increased diversity, especially gender diversity, contributes to greater innovation and better business results overall. However, this is mainly achieved through diverse and equitable representation, which involves hiring and retaining diverse employees. Unfortunately, hiring and retention of under-represented minorities is often lagging, and not a priority for many. Even when diverse hiring is encouraged and implemented, the lack of a diverse and equitable culture prevents the retention of under-represented minorities, which perpetuates and even compounds the problem.
If, in your individual, departmental and/or organizational capacity, you are able to support and implement the hiring and retention of more diverse employees, you’d be breaking one of the most powerful barriers to effective DEI. It may be recommending a qualified colleague for a position, expanding the pool of candidates considered for open positions, or serve as an ally to a peer. Some tech tools that can also help with this include Applied, a platform aimed at removing bias from the hiring process, as well as diversity-focused online job boards.
How can you support the hiring and retention of more diverse employees this year?
Focus on the impact rather than DEI numbers
The hype around DEI in recent years is undeniable. As a result of it, many organizations have focused more on inflated DEI numbers in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion metrics, than on the real impact of their DEI efforts. Increasing diverse employees’ numbers, or the number of DEI initiatives and trainings is a good start. However, ensuring a true culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, having diverse representation at the highest levels of management, and fostering a genuine sense of belonging for all, are way more impactful measures.
This impact can be achieved both at the individual and organizational level. Being willing and able to nurture an atmosphere of belonging, to engage in constructive dialogue around DEI, and strive for effective representation, are ways that we can all contribute to creating more DEI impact.
How can you create more DEI impact beyond the numbers this year?
Help someone through mentorship, sponsorship and allyship
One of the biggest obstacles to increased diversity, equity and inclusion, is the lack of support for under-represented minorities. In Lean In’s 2022 Women in the Workplace report, many women, especially Black and Latina women, report not being supported by their managers. This is where diverse forms of support can help.
Some of the most common forms of support include being a mentor, sponsor or ally. A mentor is someone providing guidance and knowledge to someone else. A sponsor goes a bit further by becoming an advocate for their proteges. An ally, on the other hand, is someone who strives to better understand others’, especially those from marginalized groups, circumstances.
In your capacity, whether or not as a manager, how could you support another employee through mentorship, sponsorship or allyship?
Participate in or create employee resource groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) aim to connect employees sharing one or many affinities within an organization. This way, they support employees and their development, and help to build more inclusive cultures. Some common ERGs bring together people of color, women, LGBTQ+ employees, single moms, caregivers, as well as employees with disabilities, to cite a few.
Participating in or even creating an ERG is an effective way to advance DEI goals in your organization.
Will you be participating or creating and ERG this year?
Create a sense of community
Creating a sense of community can be as simple as showing interest in another’s culture or background, welcoming newcomers, showing care, or recognizing individuals for their contributions. This is something that can be done at the individual and organizational level, and doesn’t cost much. As a leader, teaching others in your team, department or organization to be more inclusive can also go a long way.
How can you create more of a sense of community this year?
Listen!
On underrated aspect of DEI is the willingness and ability to listen to, and hear, others’ voices. Too often, employees’ concerns about DEI are quick to be dismissed, or buried under layers of unnecessary bureaucracy. Change happens when each and every one of us is willing to listen to others, especially others from marginalized groups whose experiences and circumstances we may be unfamiliar with. Therein lies the not-so-secret secret of deciphering and advancing the monumental cause of DEI.
To help in this, Allie, a chatbot integrated with Slack, helps in sending out Diversity and Inclusionn surveys, welcoming employee feedback, and even posting educational articles.
How will you manage to listen more to others in and outside of the workplace?
Link compensation to diversity metrics
Compensation deeply affects people, not just for obvious socio-economic reasons, but also at a much deeper level that can be tied to self-esteem and self-worth. This is where much can be taught and achieved in terms of DEI advancement by tying diversity metrics to performance and compensation. Making DEI an integral part of performance and compensation emphasizes its importance, and has the potential of creating more of an impact.
In your own capacity, how can you integrate DEI metrics into your own performance? As a leader, how can you encourage and implement the use of DEI metrics as part of compensation and performance?
Be consistent!
Last but not least, committing to more consistent DEI efforts, albeit in a sustainable and effective manner, is a major goal to strive towards. Having a plan, whether personal or at the department/organizational, can help in this regard.
How will you manage to be more consistent with your DEI efforts?
Overall, setting diversity, equity and inclusion goals for the New Year, whether at the individual or departmental/organizational level, is a process each and every one of us can undertake. In the long term, these should be goals that ought to be incorporated in everyone’s professional goals.
This episode is part of our “Black Women at Work” series in honor of Black History Month.
In this episode, I’m exploring how we, as working women and moms, can navigate and combat racial trauma in the workplace.
Listen in!
Thanks for Listening!
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In academics as well as the professional sphere, Black women have been conditioned to operate in excellence for the longest time. There is a badge of honor that comes with always showing up in your optimal capacity, especially if and when you’re the “only” Black woman in the room, the department, at this or that level, or in the company as a whole. The traditional saying according to which Black women have to work twice as hard to achieve the same, or lesser results, than their counterparts, has and still is, holding true for many Black women in the workplace…
However, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning that has accompanied it, it is a reality that is increasingly starting to fade out. As the glaring gender, race and class inequalities are rearing their ugly heads, inflamed by the repercussions of a global health crisis shaking the very foundations of our society, women in general, and Black women in particular are questioning the legitimacy and necessity of a narrative aimed at glorifying an ideal of excellence rarely rewarded in kind by the advancement, growth and progress it was always supposed to create.
Excellence, for the sake of it, is certainly a noble pursuit to aspire to. For many, Black Excellence has served as a tool of empowerment. However, unrecognized, demeaned and even questioned excellence drastically diminishes its intended impact and effects. The point of making it into once restricted rooms, once secret conversations, and into once segregated systems, is to birth opportunities for change, growth and progress. When these opportunities are stifled and compressed, status quo not only remains, it grows stronger by the sheer compounding effect of the unrecognized effort and the barriers in place. All in all, it becomes an even harsh reminder of the barriers still standing in the way of gender and race equity for all.
? How can this be when Black women are graduating at higher rates than their male counterparts, and entering the workforce in larger numbers? How can Black excellence result in such dismal representation at lower and higher levels of management alike?
These are just some of the questions at the tip of the Black Excellence iceberg that is prompting many a Black woman to divest from it, and even begin to embrace mediocrity, which for many Black women has long been associated with lack of opportunity. What was hailed as a protection against unfairness and bias, is increasingly being experienced and seen as too costly a badge of honor to carry. One that may unwittingly reduce the lives of those who strive for it, to exceptionalism that may not be necessarily fulfilling, rather than true meaning, purpose, and even sanity.
More and more, the question is being raised as to whether or not measuring Black women’s worth through what is traditionally being defined as “exceptionalism” is still valid? Is being a CEO or high-tech executive in a non-diverse environment the real definition of exceptional success, or one that needs to be re-visited to expand more inclusive definitions of what success may look like across gender and race spaces? Maybe true excellence is about fulfilling a career and life of meaning on our own terms, inclusive of our different identities and aspirations, making it a welcoming space of growth rather than an enclosed trap of traditional expectations…
In 2020, a Pew Research Center analysis revealed women earned 84% of their male counterparts’ earnings. The gap is even deeper for Black and Latina women, who respectively earn 65% and 59% of white men’s earnings. This is not recent news, as the gender pay gap, as we ‘ve traditionally known it, has not changed much in the last 15 years. However, there is an another part of the gender pay gap we don’t often think of or talk about. It’s the equity compensation gap.
The Journal of Applied Psychology recently published a study which found a gap in equity-based compensation awards between genders ranging from 15 to 30%. This equity compensation gap closely mirrors the gender pay gap, taking into account a 20% pay gap in the United States and an estimated 17% gap in Europe. According to an analysis of venture-backed companies’ equity by Carta including over 6,000 companies and 15,000 founders, women were found to hold only 20% of equity despite constituting 35% of equity holding employees. For every dollar owned by male employees, female employees holding equity own just 47 cents. At the founder level, it was found while women make up 13% of startup founders, they only hold 6% of their companies’ equity. For every dollar of equity owned by male founders, female founders only own 39 cents.
While many businesses are striving to address the gender pay gap, they may not be addressing the gap in equity-based awards. As equity-based awards are incentives to retain employees, it can be inferred female employees are not seen as valuable as their male counterparts. Another inference is that women may not be able to build wealth as men do.
Among the factors contributing to the noted gender disparities in equity compensation, is the misinformation or lack of information among employees as related to equity compensation.
To remedy this, here are three ways women can reduce, and possibly eliminate the equity compensation gap:
Talk to trusted colleagues and peers
Male employees often have access to career-related information women may not access, due to not belonging to the same circles. Much of this information points them towards what to negotiate for. This is why it’s important for women to create and nurture their social networks, and talk to trusted peers and colleagues. This is all the more important as women tend to be negatively viewed when negotiating or asserting themselves at work.
Know what to negotiate for beyond salary compensation
Often, women come to the negotiation table without a clear understanding of equity and stock options’ value as related to their overall compensation. Too much emphasis is then put on salary, and not enough on other forms of compensation such as equity and stock options. Understanding this and knowing what (and how) to negotiate for, goes a long way towards reducing equity-based gender gaps.
Advocate for pay transparency
Pay transparency is not only beneficial to employees, but can also help employers identify and remedy existing gaps. As advocates for pay transparency, women can encourage a process whereby female employees have a better understanding of compensation and what to ask for, and where bias is minimized or removed entirely.
All in all, the gender pay gap is more layered and deeply ingrained in the compensation structure than most of us know or realize. Being aware of and proactive about the gender gap in equity compensation can help peel another layer of the pay gap onion, thus reducing the inequity plaguing women at work.
Were you aware of the gender equity gap? If so, how are you fighting it at your level?
Performance reviews are stressful. No matter how well you did, or how positive your experience may have been, the fact is, being evaluated on your performance can trigger a certain amount of stress. Especially if you’re a working woman, as gender bias, in addition to the stress already induced, also plays a prominent role in the outcomes obtained…
Research has confirmed performance appraisals are indeed stressful, both on the side of the appraiser and the appraisee. While a higher degree of physiological response was found on the part of males in the study, females appear to pay more of a psychological price. In the context of annual performance reviews more specifically, the psychological price paid by female employees is compounded by the existence of a gender bias against women. Content analysis of annual performance reviews demonstrates female employees are 1.4 more times likely to get “critical subjective feedback”, as reported by the Harvard Business Review. Women also tend to receive less constructive feedback, which would target both positive aspects of their performance while also pinpointing areas of potential growth. Instead, they tend to get feedback that is more vague and elusive in nature. Another finding attributes women’s performance to luck or length of time in the office, as opposed to skills, talents and abilities. With all these negative factors embedded in the performance review process, is it then any wonder that the proverbial “glass ceiling” and “concrete wall” still threaten women’s career progress?
As a working woman, you may have already realized the existence of this bias as part of your annual performance review. You may even have pointed it out to fellow colleagues, friends and family, yet may not have had the opportunity to bring it up to your management. Or you may have boldly voiced your concerns about it, without getting a clear or substantive answer to your worries. Despite this, there are ways to go about fighting the pervasive and unfortunately persisting gender bias in performance reviews. Here are three (3) tips that may help:
Suggest more objective performance criteria
Considering the language used in performance reviews is often vague and gender-neutral, suggesting more objective criteria for your performance review can remove some of the bias involved. For example, referring to more specific attributes related to the projects you’ve completed, such as timeliness, results obtained, etc, can provide more objective and constructive information to assess your performance.
Ask for a broader set of reviewers
Being reviewed by one individual with a given work style, personality, and priorities can be limiting , especially if said individual is prone to gender bias. Having a broader set of reviewers can not only expand the range of feedback received, but also contribute to getting more accurate and constructive reviews. The more diverse the group of reviewers, the better, more varied and enriching the feedback.
Request more frequent performance reviews
Annual performance reviews usually occur during one of the busiest times of the year, when most managers are desperately attempting to successfully close the year, and most people are exhausted by the pressure of year-end deadlines and holidays looming near. Requesting more frequent performance reviews spread out throughout the year can help alleviate the weight of an often incomplete and biased year-end review. Additionally, more timely feedback on projects and assignments throughout the year can help adjust one’s performance in a faster and more efficient manner over time.
Yes, overall, performance reviews are riddled with bias, gender bias more specifically. For many, if not most working women, it can be quite disheartening. However, and as more and more companies are re-assessing their performance review systems, working women can also proactively and constructively fight back by demanding more constructive, frequent and diverse performance reviews.
Have you experienced gender bias in your performance reviews?
