Push Back on Gatekeeping, and Other Actions for Allies

Each week, Karen Catlin shares five simple actions to create a more inclusive workplace and be a better ally.

1. Push back on gatekeeping

You probably know that Beyoncé recently released two country music singles. Did you also hear what happened when a listener asked an Oklahoma radio station, KYKC, to play one of them? The station’s general manager replied, “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.” The ensuing social media outrage caused KYKC to change its mind, and the song is now part of their rotation. (Source: USC Annenberg Media)

This is an example of cultural gatekeeping. And something similar may be happening in our workplaces.

A gatekeeper tries to exclude others from opportunities or keep them “in their place.” Often, it’s under the guise of knowing what’s best for someone else and being altruistic. For example, not recommending a parent with young children for a promotion because of all the travel. Or not inviting someone to a VIP dinner because they’re vegetarian and you’re eating at a steakhouse. Or insisting on giving a project update to an executive sponsor because your coworker is too busy.

Allies, if you spot gatekeeping, speak up. Perhaps by pointing out, “Isn’t that so-and-so’s decision to make?”

Share this action on LinkedIn, on Instagram, or on Threads.

2. Don’t base job offers on previous earnings

Last week, Oracle agreed to pay $25M to settle a gender pay discrimination suit. The suit claimed that Oracle paid women less than men in similar roles. The company denied discriminating, explaining there were legitimate reasons for differences in pay, such as experience and training.

Yet, according to an expert witness, Oracle was using some not-so-legitimate reasons to justify paying women less — specifically, their pay at a previous job.

Doing so perpetuates the gender pay gap. If an employee were already underpaid, she’d continue to be underpaid.

As you may know, recent laws in many U.S. states make it illegal to ask employees about their salary history. Even if the laws in your area don’t address this, let’s not ask about salary history.

Here’s one more thing to consider. Talk about your salary. It’s uncomfortable territory for many of us, but when we tell others about our pay, we provide them with data points. And data is a helpful tool during any negotiation process.

3. Representation matters on stage

Jeepers. Over the weekend, I noticed an announcement for a celebration of Black History Month that will feature eight speakers. Looking at their photos, I’m not sure any of them are Black.

Most event planners reach out to their professional network to find speakers. If they lack diversity in their network (which most of us do), they’ll likely lack diversity at the event. The result? They’ll subconsciously reinforce that people of a specific identity are the subject matter experts on a given topic.

Even more problematic is when these speakers don’t have direct lived experience with the topic. Consider panels about challenges women face at work that feature only male panelists. Or a celebration of Black History Month with no Black speakers.

Allies, whenever someone invites us to speak at an event, we should reflect on whether we’re the right person. Also, we should ask the organizer who else will be speaking. If it will be filled with people who look like us, point it out. And consider stepping aside to make room for someone who might otherwise be overlooked.

For those of us who are frequent public speakers, we can broadcast support for diversity on stage in our social media profiles. For example, “Won’t speak on all-male panels” or “Won’t speak on all-white panels.”

And when we spot an event about a marginalized group without members of that group speaking, point it out to the organizers and demand better.

4. It’s okay to say Black

As we wrap up Black History Month, here’s some guidance to take with us throughout the year.

Author and DEI consultant Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D. wrote a viral post on LinkedIn:

“PSA to Everyone:
It’s okay to say BLACK.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people are talking specifically about Black people but insist on using the “people of color” label.

I had a discussion with a manager recently who shared that he wanted to be an ally to the “people of color” in his workplace. When digging a little deeper, it was apparent that what he meant is he was looking to be a better support system for the ✨ BLACK ✨ employees in his workplace.

In my book Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace, I talk about the importance of specificity and nuance. When trying to address a specific problem in the workplace, we cannot be afraid to be specific in the language we use to define, describe and understand the problem, in order to work towards solutions.

Let’s all commit to being more specific in our language and using the words we really mean versus catchall phrases.

In an attempt to “include everyone,” we lose the essence of meaning. It’s okay, and actually preferred for you to say Black. 🖤”

Thank you, Dr. Asare.

5. Support lactating employees

After reading my January 26, 2024 newsletter, where I emphasized the importance of providing lactation rooms, a subscriber reached out to thank me for addressing the topic and request I share more about it. She wrote,

“Pumping [milk] is time-consuming and exhausting (both mentally and physically); however, it’s what my baby needs. Not having access to a clean private space can very quickly end a breastfeeding journey. So can not having adequate time during the work day to fully empty the breasts on a regular basis. I think it’s also important for leaders to understand that pumping sessions are time consuming and vary greatly depending on the person (and the pump).”

In the Harvard Business Review article How Companies Can Support Breastfeeding Employees, staff from the Center of WorkLife Law summarize the various U.S. laws that are in place. They also urge employers to provide space and reasonable break time for pumping:

“Most nursing parents need 2–3 breaks during an 8-hour workday, depending on their baby’s feeding schedule and their bodies’ needs. Expressing breast milk typically takes 15–20 minutes per session, but sometimes longer. Some additional time is needed to travel to and from the lactation space, set up the pump, disassemble and clean up, and store the milk, which is why providing amenities and a pumping location that allow those to be done efficiently is worthwhile.”

I’ll add one more suggestion based on the experience of a former colleague. Don’t insist that someone dials into a meeting during a pumping break. The la leche league emphasizes the importance of finding “a quiet place where you are not likely to be interrupted. Relaxing is important. Many nursing parents look at pictures of their babies, listen to music, drink water, or have a snack.”

While some might do some work during their pumping breaks, it should be optional, not required.

That’s all for this week. I wish you strength and safety as we all move forward.

— Karen Catlin (she/her), author of the Better Allies® book series

Copyright © 2024 Karen Catlin. All rights reserved.

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