WOMEN IN TECH THE FACTS

Gender or Color-Invisibility
Individuals frequently make well-intentioned
assertions (like the one in the box to the right) in
an effort to combat prejudice and treat employees
equitably. A gender or color-invisible stance might be
appropriate if the larger society also was gender and
color-invisible. Since this is not the case, holding such a
stance is actually a failure to recognize significant and
important factors that affect these employees’ life and
work experiences.
“I don’t see color or
gender; you do your
work well on my team,
and you’ll succeed!”
Women, people of color, and other underrepresented employees often have experiences that shape
their lives differently (e.g., women more often than men have to think about or are asked to explain
how they balance work and family responsibilities). These individuals also face different prejudices and
inequities. “Treating everyone the same” ignores these realities and the fact that existing workplace
conditions do not meet these employees’ needs.
Such treatment also ignores the fact that current workplace conditions are not natural; they have
subtly evolved to meet the needsof the original population. For example, when most employees have a
stay-at-home-spouse (typically a wife who is taking care of children), flextime does not become a norm
because these employees do not need it. If most employees were single parents or had dual-working
relationships, different systems would most likely have evolved.
Examples of Gender or Color-Invisibility
• Language referring to “the best candidate” for the job or promotion—often a red-flag
indicating unaddressed or unconscious bias.
• Insisting that a decision to hire because the candidate was just “not a good fit”—
another red flag indicating possible unconscious biases.
• Language that stresses “treating everyone the same.” Though well intentioned,
it tends to minimize or ignore reality.
• Language that claims meritocracy in performance and advancement review
processes, such as, “We do not see gender or race.”
WOMEN IN TECH: THE FACTS 25