From Sabotage to Support: A New Vision for Feminist Solidarity in the Workplace

by Joy L. Wiggins, Kami J. Anderson

Overview

Women are acculturated within systems that encourage them to sabotage one another; this book shows how they can break free of this cultural programming and use whatever privilege and power they have to raise each other up.

Joy Wiggins and Kami Anderson advocate that the only way women can successfully support each other is by addressing the varying intersections of our individual power and privileges, particularly focusing on how some privileges are inherited along lines of race, class, sexuality, and geography. When we fully examine how we have power in certain situations and not in others, we start to see where we can lend privilege to create truly inclusive spaces for the historically underrepresented and marginalized.

Wiggins and Anderson look at how the dynamics of privilege and power have played out in the history of the feminist movement and identify and break down socialized behaviors and ideologies that trigger implicit bias and microaggressions. And they provide tools to interrupt negative thoughts and actions so women can nurture mutual support and show up as their authentic selves. Each chapter features a dialogue between them reflecting on how issues of race, privilege, and power have played out in their lives and their friendship.

The system of patriarchy has created an environment for women to knowingly and unknowingly sabotage each other—it is not inherent in women themselves. This book teaches us how to take an active approach to becoming better allies for each other and by so doing improve our world and end the cycle of injustice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781523098477
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Joy Wiggins, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Joy Wiggins, PhD, LLC, a consulting company that focuses on equity, inclusion, and social justice. She received her doctorate from the Ohio State University in multicultural education with a focus on social justice in children's literature. Kami J. Anderson, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Bilingual Brown Babies, a company that focuses on fostering bilingualism in black families. She received her doctorate from Howard University in intercultural communication and culture. She is the author of Language, Identity, and Choice.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Path to Liberation 1

Who We Are 3

What to Expect 4

Why This Book? Why Now? 5

Smash the Patriarchy! 8

A Day in the Liberated Life! 12

Moving Forward 14

Chapter 1 A Brief History of Feminist Movements 17

First-Wave Feminism from 1800 to 1920 18

The Second Wave: Civil and Reproductive Rights 23

The Third Wave: Power Feminism and the Beauty Myth 30

The Fourth Wave: Intersectionality 32

Action Steps 37

Chapter 2 The Pervasive Patriarchy 41

What Is Patriarchy? 42

The Effects of Socialization 45

Women in Leadership 48

200 Percent 49

Socialization and Double Consciousness: The Other Side of the Coin 51

Action Steps 57

Chapter 3 The Power of Privilege 59

Through the Lens of Race 61

Deconstruct What You Think You Know 66

Checking Our Privilege 68

Power as a Tool for Sabotage 70

Action Steps 76

Chapter 4 Moving Through and Within 79

Implicit and Explicit Bias 81

Microaggressions 85

White Fragility 88

The Myth of Intercultural Solidarity 91

Action Steps 96

Chapter 5 Self-Care and the Path to Empowerment 99

Defining Empowerment 100

Disempowerment: The Masks We Wear 101

What Does Empowerment Really Look Like? 106

Action Steps 112

Chapter 6 Support for Solidarity 115

A Look Back 116

Authenticity 118

Recruitment and Retention 121

Accountability Policies and Procedures 123

Professional Development 124

The Wage Gap 125

How Can You Be an Ally? 126

Action Steps 130

Chapter 7 Support for Transformation and Liberation 133

Liberation Has Always Been a Possibility 134

Allyship and Liberation 136

Affinity Groups for Support and Empowerment Woman Power Up! 139

Repairing and Reconciling 143

Action Steps 148

Conclusion: The Gift of Support 151

Moving from Sabotage to Support 152

Men and Liberation 154

Final Thoughts: Self 157

Final Thoughts: Others 159

Appendix A Terms to Know 161

Appendix B Women to Know 165

Notes 173

Acknowledgments 181

Index 183

About the Authors 193

Editorial Reviews

Packed with everyday wisdom and common-sense recommendations, From Sabotage to Support provides an important alternative to our oppositional, combative social milieu. The authors offer insights, analyses, strategies, and everyday wisdom that give us the necessary tools to transform our workplaces into more equitable, harmonious, inclusive spaces.”
—AnaLouise Keating, PhD, Professor and Doctoral Program Director, Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, and Gloria Anzaldúa scholar
 
“From Sabotage to Support is a fantastic addition to the body of knowledge for women (and allies) by women. This book lays down a solid foundation for people new to feminist and womanist journeys while providing immensely actionable guidance for managing our sabotaging behaviors toward ourselves and others. The authors thoughtfully include myriad diverse identities and movements that define the complex human experience. This book will forever change you, your workplace, and the way that you embrace and connect with people.”
—Tiffany Jana, DM, CEO, TMI Portfolio, and coauthor of Overcoming Bias and Erasing Institutional Bias
 
“Wiggins and Anderson have written a profound book to help us understand the role of patriarchal systems and how we can move from sabotage to support. This is a must-read for white women and women of color who are interested in how we can reclaim our voice and power and develop collaborative, authentic relationships across racial lines and create a new reality of support.”
—Judith H. Katz, EdD, author of White Awareness, coauthor of Safe Enough to Soar, and Executive Vice President, The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc.
 
“The timeliness of From Sabotage to Support can’t be overstated. As an employer of a diverse group of individuals, thanks to the teachings in this book, I am now acutely aware of how I have helped perpetuate the patriarchy by rewarding workplace behaviors that originated with a system designed by white men to benefit only them. This book opens up a space for women to discuss how we’re unwittingly supporting the continuation of this system. As Wiggins and Anderson show us, we’ve been working against one another. By working together as a group, as seen in the Women’s Marches and the #MeToo movement and outlined in this book, we have a greater opportunity to better women’s lives when we lift each other up. The workplace can be competitive, but it doesn’t have to be. This enlightening book provides us with new tools to help white women recognize our privilege and our bias and change the way we lead as employers and the way we work as employees.”
—Liz Bradford, owner of Bradford Public Relations Inc.

From the Publisher