When racism and sexism interact

This piece aligns with our Intersectionality eBook: A practical guide to creating an inclusive workplace. Researched and written by the Shape Talent team, January 2025.

“As a forty-nine-year-old Black lesbian feminist socialist mother of two, including one boy, and a member of an interracial couple, I usually find myself a part of some group defined as other, deviant, inferior, or just plain wrong”  — Audre Lorde, Age, Race, Class, and Sex; Women Redefining Difference’, 1980

Race and gender are entangled in the workplace, in a way that makes single axis frames untenable. In workplaces the effects of both racism and sexism play out as both subtle biases as well as overt acts of discrimination.[1] The challenges of racism and sexism in the workplace are not only personal and relational, but also societal and systemic. They reflect broader patterns of racial and gender inequality that are embedded in societal structures and thus also organisational practices. The burden of navigating a gendered and racialised workplace creates a specific set of barriers. For example, employees at the intersection of racism and sexism often face higher levels of exclusion, microaggressions, discrimination and overall unequal treatment, all of which contribute to their underrepresentation across organisations, as well as leadership positions and decision-making roles.

Unpacking colourism and anti-blackness

Colourism refers to the practice of privileging individuals with lighter skin tones over those with darker skin within communities of colour. [2] Bias towards lighter skin is deeply ingrained in society – from institutional structures to media to personal bias. While the effect of colourism is wide-reaching, its origins and deepest impacts are tied to anti-Blackness and colonial hierarchies that perpetuate white supremacy. Crucially, research using an intersectional approach has demonstrated how colourism is also a highly gendered phenomenon – and in certain context disproportionately affect women of colour. [3] For Black women and women of colour in the workplace, this means unique and compounded barriers to equity – in everything from societal beauty standards to systemic biases in the workplace.

Non-Black women of colour and marginalised genders also face the dual burdens of racism and colourism in the workplace. For example, Latina women in the United States often navigate the intersections of racism, colourism, and xenophobia. Discrimination rooted in anti-Latinx sentiment can limit access to opportunities, perpetuate harmful stereotypes, particularly for those who have a precarious immigration status or limited citizenship rights. This manifests in various outcomes, including a harsher gender pay gaps and negative stereotypes – resulting in the fact that many Latinx, especially Latina women, are unable to be their authentic self in the workplace.[4]

Muslim women of colour and marginalised genders also face a complex web of discrimination in the workplace, experiencing a blend of gendered Islamophobia, cultural misrepresentation, and racism.[5] Muslim women, especially those who wear the hijab, often encounter workplace challenges stemming from media stereotypes, such as being perceived as submissive or weak.[6] Additionally, and alarmingly, they may also face the threat of physical violence, which can restrict their daily activities and limit the workplaces available to them.

Asian women and marginalised genders also face challenges, biases and microaggressions in the workplace shaped by stereotypes and cultural misconceptions. They are frequently stereotyped as docile or passive, which can undermine their authority and contributions – and even cause backlash when they act incongruently with the presumed stereotype. All of this culminates into a lack of inclusion in the workplace – in fact, only 20% of Asian women in the US feel a sense of belonging in their workplaces.[7]

These examples highlight the specificity of challenges faced by different groups of women of colour. However, while acknowledging these broader dynamics, this eBook centres evidence and discussion on the experiences of Black women and anti-blackness.

Being an “only”, code-switching and tokenism

For many women and marginalised people of colour, the experience of “onlyness”—being one of the few, if not the only, person of their gender, race or ethnicity in the room—can create a sense of isolation and exclusion.[8] The experience of being an “only” is common among women, but it is undeniably influenced by racial dynamics. Research shows that this experience is particularly pronounced for Black women and women of colour. For example, a McKinsey study of 64,000 employees in North America revealed that while 20% of women overall reported being an “only,” this figure more than doubled to 45% for women of colour.[9] For many, this creates a paradoxical experience of simultaneously feeling excluded and rendered invisible, yet also highly watched and scrutinised. These experiences and subsequent feelings have big impacts – in fact, women who experience being an “only” are 1.5 times more likely to consider leaving their job. ⁴ Taking an intersectional approach reveals that people of colour are even more likely to leave their organisations.

Black women and marginalised genders are typically also selected in a tokenistic manner with the expectation that they represent the experiences of their entire group, for example by always being asked to speak on behalf of “women of colour” or consistently being the “go to employee” to speak on diversity. Such demands not only drain emotional and cognitive resources but are also reductionist and place an undue responsibility on employees already facing significant barriers. [10] The cognitive load and psychological toll of women of colour in the workplace is significant, furthered by factors such as heightened scrutiny and the fact that Black women are more likely experience significant mental health impacts due to workplace bullying – all of this only made worse by the fact that black women and marginalised gender rarely get the mental health help they need. [11] 

Experiences of being an “only” and tokenism can be compounded by the pressure to “code-switch,” or alter behaviour, speech, and appearance to fit in with predominantly white, male-dominated workplace cultures. In fact, black women are more than twice as likely as their female white peers to code-switch. [12] This can create a disconnection from one’s authentic self, further leading to increased stress and burnout over time.

The double bind: “Strong Black Woman”

Unless you are a man, being strong is often reframed from a positive quality to a negative one – think ‘bossy’. Yet, if you are not strong, you are not cut out for success.[13] Black women experience this double bind phenomenon more harshly than white women. In fact, according to our latest report 61% of black women experienced more barriers related to gender stereotypes when compared to 52% of white women.[14] One of the most common stereotypes faced by Black women is that of aggression and dominance, often portraying them as “hostile, angry, and rude,” in stark contrast to the more docile and submissive qualities typically associated with white women in gender stereotypes. These perceptions manifest in various forms, from the “angry Black woman” to the “strong Black woman,” influencing how Black women are viewed and treated. Research shows that “while white women are expected to display warmth, Black women are stereotyped as strong, assertive, and aggressive”.Studies on white women seeking advancement in organisations reveal that they must defy gender stereotypes to be seen as competent and dominant, yet risk backlash for behaviour that contradicts communal expectations. For Black women, already burdened by stereotypes of assertiveness, navigating this balance game becomes even more complex, with a greater risk of negative consequences and backlash related to the double bind.[15]

Harsher pay gaps and caregiving disparities

The dynamically interacting effects of racism and sexism are also evident in pay gaps and caregiving disparities. While the gender pay gap remains a significant issue for women and marginalised genders overall, it is even more pronounced for marginalised women and people of colour. For example, Black women in the UK earn significantly less than their white counterparts and are the least likely to be represented in the highest income bracket – even when looking only at the income of the black and minority ethnic workers population, in turn, clearly demonstrating how sexism and racism intersect.[16]

To add to this, Black women are more likely to be breadwinners, with over 80% of Black mothers providing the primary income for their households, compared to 50% of white mothers.[17] This trend is particularly significant given that Black women are also more likely to be single parents, with one-third of Black women aged 25-54 raising children alone.[18] As the primary earners, Black women face additional pressures related to job stability, which may lead to a reduced willingness to speak out or challenge workplace inequalities.

Black women are also disproportionately affected by the motherhood penalty; for instance, research from the UK reveals that Black women are more likely to leave the workforce due to caring responsibilities than their white counterparts. In fact, Black women in the UK are 12 times more likely than men to leave the labour market due to caring responsibilities, where white women are 7 times more likely than men. ⁶ Even though Black women are hardest hit by this caregiving disparity in their 30s, this disparity’s effect on working life endures over time, even for older women. In turn, demonstrating the interplay with racism, sexism and ageism.

The labour market exclusion linked to caregiving responsibilities is closely tied to the disproportionate maternal health outcomes faced by Black women. Limited access to quality care and ingrained racial biases within the healthcare system contribute to a significant health gap.[19] Black women, in particular, experience less favourable health outcomes, with maternal mortality rates 3.7 times higher than those of white women in the UK. [20] Investigations have found that this is in part due to microaggressions and stereotypes by medical professionals that perceive Black women to have lower thresholds – demonstrating how the aforementioned “strong Black woman” trope has a pervasive impact. This systemic disadvantage not only impacts their health but also restricts their ability to fully engage in the workplace, limiting career progression and leadership opportunities.

Career progression and leadership

Black women and women of colour also face intersecting challenges in leadership, often having to navigate structural biases and societal stereotypes to achieve success. Although strides have been made, the impact of intersectional racial and gender biases on minority female leadership have been largely similar over the past two centuries.[21] Black women and women of colour frequently experience limited access to mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, which are essential for career progression. In fact, Black women are almost three times more likely than white women to aspire to high-ranking roles, yet white women are approximately twice as likely as Black women to attain those positions. In turn, revealing the personal, societal and structural barriers of racism and sexism that hinder advancement. The overlapping of racism and sexism creates an environment where Black and women of colour’s capabilities are underestimated, and their contributions overlooked, resulting in significant underrepresentation at senior levels.

Those who do reach leadership positions often take calculated risks to prove their worth, as their achievements are subject to heightened scrutiny.[22] For many, this involves balancing the need to meet high expectations with a commitment to staying authentic, which can be particularly challenging in workplaces that are still highly gendered and racialised, ultimately skewed towards male and white success and dominance.

 References

[1] https://www.routledge.com/Black-Women-Intersectionality-and-Workplace-Bullying-Intersecting-Distress/Hollis/p/book/9781032035390?srsltid=AfmBOooMH-gdSVVngcl6bGRwtjvxZ_dxcxPDRI16zekPsfVRHU0djQVf
[2] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23326492211012532
[3] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2024.2311139#:~:text=Colourism%20is%20a%20form%20of,(Dixon%20and%20Telles%202017).
[4] https://hbr.org/2016/10/u-s-latinos-feel-they-cant-be-themselves-at-work
[5] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13582291231176513
[6] https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/65052/pdf/#:~:text=Muslim%20women%20in%20particular%20face,and%20options%20available%20to%20them.
[7] https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/2022/asian-americans-crack-the-bamboo-ceiling/
[8] https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/one-is-the-loneliest-number
[9] https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/one-is-the-loneliest-number
[10] https://hbr.org/2022/09/the-psychological-toll-of-being-the-only-woman-of-color-at-work
[11] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0049089X16305087?via%3Dihub
[12] https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace-2023
[13] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2018.12.002
[14] https://shapetalent.com/the-reality-gap-three-barriers-to-womens-advancement-in-european-corporates/
[15] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2018.12.002
[16] https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2021/c-March-21/Black-women-are-least-likely-to-be-among-UKs-top-earners#:~:text=Researchers%20also%20found%20that%20Black,belong%20to%20the%20top%201%25.
[17] https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/black-womenomics-f/black-womenomics-report.pdf
[18] https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/black-womenomics-f/black-womenomics-report.pdf
[19] https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/black-womenomics-f/black-womenomics-report.pdf
[20] https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmwomeq/94/report.html
[21] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50392-x
[22] https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/black-female-leaders-career-focused-risks/indepth/article/1875261

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