Reverse Discrimination? It doesn't exist...but 'tokenism' does. | Antoinette Lattouf | TEDxSydney

Summary

The speaker, an Arab woman in Australian media, humorously addresses the misconception of 'DNA intolerance' to diversity and inclusion policies, highlighting the absurdity of 'reverse discrimination' claims. She debunks the idea through research and personal experiences, emphasizing the necessity of affirmative action to counteract systemic inequalities. The talk advocates for genuine diversity and inclusion, not just tokenism, to foster innovation and social cohesion, and calls for understanding and leveraging one's privilege to support change.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The speaker addresses the misconception that words like 'diversity' and 'inclusion' are harmful, highlighting the exaggerated reactions they can provoke in some individuals.
• 🤔 The term 'DNA intolerance' is introduced to describe the discomfort some people feel when confronted with diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• 🎓 The speaker's personal experiences as an Arab woman in Australian media illustrate the real-world impact of diversity and inclusion discussions, including instances of perceived reverse discrimination.
• 📊 Data is presented to challenge the notion of white individuals being disadvantaged in promotion, showing that white men dominate leadership roles in both media and corporate sectors.
• 🌐 The script discusses the global nature of the issue, citing studies that show a clear bias towards individuals with traditionally 'white' names in hiring processes.
• 📚 The concept of 'tokenism' is criticized as a superficial approach to diversity and inclusion that fails to address underlying power imbalances.
• 🚫 The speaker refutes the idea of 'reverse discrimination,' explaining that it is a misnomer and does not reflect the systemic advantages that certain groups have historically enjoyed.
• 📖 The speaker's book, 'How to Lose Friends and Influence White People,' is mentioned as a resource for those looking to understand and combat racism and become effective allies.
• 🛒 A supermarket analogy is used to explain the difference between equality (giving everyone the same opportunity) and equity (ensuring everyone has what they need to succeed).
• 💡 The benefits of true diversity and inclusion are emphasized, including increased innovation, better risk identification, and improved business performance.
• 🌟 The importance of representation in media and leadership is underscored, with the speaker sharing personal anecdotes about how representation can lead to better outcomes and trust.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speech?

The main theme of the speech is the impact of diversity and inclusion policies, the misconception of reverse discrimination, and the importance of addressing systemic inequities.

What is the term 'DNA intolerance' used to describe in the speech?

The term 'DNA intolerance' is used to humorously describe the discomfort or resistance some people show towards diversity and inclusion initiatives.

What is the speaker's personal experience with encountering resistance to diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

The speaker, being an Arab woman working in mainstream media in Australia, has experienced colleagues expressing concerns about tokenism and feeling like victims despite the lack of actual diversity policies in place at the time.

What did the academic research involving four universities and Media Diversity Australia find regarding television news directors in the country?

The research found that every single television news director in the country was a white man, highlighting a significant lack of diversity in leadership roles.

What is the percentage of non-white board directors in ASX 300 companies, according to the speech?

Only five percent of ASX 300 board directors are not white, despite the country's diverse demographic makeup.

How does the speaker refute the idea of reverse discrimination?

The speaker refutes reverse discrimination by pointing out that affirmative action policies are not equivalent to the long-standing, systemic discrimination that has been institutionalized through colonization and other historical policies.

What is the significance of Peggy McIntosh's 50-point essay on white privilege?

Peggy McIntosh's essay is significant because it shed light on the invisible ways in which white individuals, especially white women, benefit from systemic privilege, which is often overlooked and not recognized.

What is the speaker's stance on tokenism in diversity and inclusion initiatives?

The speaker is against tokenism, stating that it is a half-hearted gesture that does not lead to real change, can exacerbate discrimination, and does not benefit anyone involved.

What is the title of the speaker's first book, and what is its purpose?

The title of the speaker's first book is 'How to Lose Friends and Influence White People'. It serves as a toolkit on diversity and inclusion and aims to guide individuals on how to be an anti-racism ally.

How does the speaker use the supermarket trolley token analogy to explain the need for different paths to achieve equity?

The speaker uses the analogy to illustrate that just as some tokens are faulty and do not allow equal access to trolleys, some people face systemic barriers that require different, more equitable paths to achieve the same destination as others.

What are the broader societal impacts of workplace inequity mentioned in the speech?

The broader societal impacts of workplace inequity include the underrepresentation of certain groups in decision-making roles, the perpetuation of stereotypes, and the negative impact on public health messages and trust in institutions, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outlines

00:00

😶 Impact of Diversity and Inclusion Policies

The speaker, an Arab woman working in Australian mainstream media, addresses the misconception that words like 'diversity' and 'inclusion' are harmful. She highlights the irrational fear of 'DNA intolerance' and the absurdity of reverse discrimination claims. She shares personal experiences of witnessing resistance to diversity in the workplace and provides evidence of the lack of true representation in media and corporate sectors. The speaker emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between affirmative action and historical discrimination, citing research that shows a clear bias towards individuals with certain names, suggesting that diversity policies are necessary to counteract systemic inequality.

05:02

🙅‍♀️ Debunking Reverse Discrimination and Tokenism

The speaker refutes the existence of reverse discrimination, calling it a false equivalence, and shares her experience of publishing a book on diversity and inclusion. She recounts an encounter with a woman who believes in reverse discrimination, using the example of a white South African grandson. The speaker explains that tokenism is problematic as it is a superficial gesture that doesn't address underlying power structures or change perceptions. She argues that true diversity and inclusion are not about token representation but about creating an environment where everyone can thrive, and that tokenism can lead to further discrimination and hostility.

10:02

🛒 The Grocery Shopping Analogy for Equity

Using a grocery shopping analogy, the speaker illustrates the concept of systemic inequity and the need for different paths to achieve the same destination. She explains that equal opportunities do not guarantee equal outcomes due to systemic barriers. The analogy of a faulty trolley token system is used to show how some people face greater challenges than others. The speaker advocates for the removal of barriers and the provision of equitable opportunities, emphasizing that true fairness involves addressing these systemic issues rather than simply providing equal chances.

15:05

🌟 The Benefits of True Diversity and Inclusion

The speaker discusses the benefits of genuine diversity and inclusion, stating that diverse organizations outperform their less diverse counterparts and are more innovative and better at identifying risks. She shares personal anecdotes of how representation in the media has led to better journalism and more trust from the public. The speaker also addresses the broader societal impacts of inequity, using the example of public health messages during a crisis and the disproportionate impact on communities that lack trust in institutions. She concludes by urging those with privilege to understand their power and not to be barriers to change, emphasizing that diversity and inclusion are not about individual feelings but about addressing systemic inequities.

Keywords

💡Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion refer to the collective effort to ensure a culture where all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, feel welcomed, respected, and valued. In the video, the speaker discusses the backlash against diversity and inclusion initiatives, arguing that they are not about reverse discrimination but about addressing systemic inequities. The speaker, being an Arab woman in mainstream media, provides a personal perspective on the importance of these initiatives.

💡DNA Intolerance

DNA Intolerance is a metaphor used in the script to describe the discomfort or resistance some individuals feel when confronted with diversity and inclusion policies. It's a satirical take on the idea of an 'allergy' to diversity, illustrating the absurdity of such reactions. The speaker uses this term to highlight the irrational fear some people have towards policies aimed at creating a more equitable environment.

💡Tokenism

Tokenism is the practice of making a symbolic gesture to suggest that an institution or organization is inclusive, without actually addressing the underlying issues of inequality. In the video, the speaker criticizes tokenism as a superficial approach to diversity that doesn't lead to meaningful change. The speaker provides examples of how tokenism can lead to more discrimination and hostility, rather than fostering a truly inclusive environment.

💡Reverse Discrimination

Reverse Discrimination is a term that some people use to describe situations where they believe white individuals are being unfairly disadvantaged due to policies favoring minority groups. The speaker in the video refutes this concept, arguing that it is a misnomer and does not exist in the context of policies designed to correct systemic inequalities. The speaker emphasizes that such policies are not punishments but are necessary to level the playing field.

💡Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action refers to policies and measures that aim to increase opportunities for members of groups that have been historically discriminated against. In the video, the speaker differentiates affirmative action from historical discrimination, explaining that affirmative action is intended to counterbalance the effects of past and ongoing inequalities, rather than to disadvantage anyone.

💡Privilege

Privilege in the context of the video refers to the unearned advantages that individuals from certain social groups have, often due to their race, gender, or other factors. The speaker discusses the concept of privilege, particularly white privilege, and how it can be invisible to those who benefit from it. The video encourages those with privilege to recognize and use it to support systemic change.

💡Systemic Inequities

Systemic Inequities are the deep-rooted, institutionalized forms of discrimination that are embedded in the policies, practices, and norms of a society. The speaker in the video discusses how diversity and inclusion initiatives aim to address these inequities, which are not just individual acts of discrimination but are part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment and opportunity.

💡Representation

Representation in this video refers to the idea that having individuals from diverse backgrounds in positions of power and influence can lead to more inclusive decision-making and a better understanding of different perspectives. The speaker uses their own experience in media to illustrate how representation can lead to better outcomes and more trust from the community.

💡Cultural Safety

Cultural Safety is the concept of creating an environment where individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds feel secure, respected, and free from discrimination. In the video, the speaker mentions the importance of cultural safety in the workplace, particularly for those in minority groups, to ensure they can thrive without fear of hostility or exclusion.

💡Invisible Systems

Invisible Systems in the context of the video are the unobserved or unnoticed societal structures and norms that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. The speaker uses the metaphor of 'invisible systems' to describe how these structures can subtly favor one group over another, contributing to systemic inequities.

💡Equity

Equity in the video is used to describe the concept of fairness that goes beyond mere equality by considering the different needs and barriers faced by different groups. The speaker argues that true equity requires recognizing and addressing these differences to ensure that all individuals have the same opportunities to succeed.

Highlights

Words like 'diversity' and 'inclusion' can have a profound impact, especially on those resistant to change.

The concept of 'DNA intolerance' humorously describes the discomfort some feel towards diversity and inclusion policies.

Personal anecdotes from being an Arab woman in Australian media highlight the real challenges faced in the industry.

Tokenism is criticized as a superficial approach that does not address the root causes of inequality.

Research findings show that white men dominate television news director roles, despite vague discussions of representation.

Corporate Australia's leadership lacks diversity, with only 5% of ASX 300 board directors being non-white.

The fear of 'reverse discrimination' is debunked with evidence showing systemic advantages for white individuals.

Peggy McIntosh's 50-point essay on white privilege provides insight into systemic racism and discrimination.

The speaker's book, 'How to Lose Friends and Influence White People', aims to be a toolkit for anti-racism allies.

A personal encounter at a bookstore illustrates the misunderstanding and resistance to concepts of reverse discrimination.

Tokenism is harmful as it can lead to increased discrimination and hostility towards diverse individuals.

Diversity and inclusion strategies are not about punishing any group but addressing systemic inequities.

The importance of trust and representation in media is emphasized for effective communication and storytelling.

The analogy of the 'flawed trolley token' distribution system illustrates the need for equitable solutions.

Diverse organizations outperform their less diverse counterparts, highlighting the benefits of inclusion.

The impact of workplace inequity extends beyond the workplace, affecting society as a whole.

The speaker calls for understanding power and privilege, and not being a barrier to necessary systemic change.

Transcripts

[Music]

so anyone who believes that words don't

hurt

or have an impact

probably hasn't seen the effect

two words can have on a room full of

straight white

cis men

diversity and inclusion so forget nuts

forget gluten the new allergy in town

that's growing at a really rapid rate is

dna intolerance and for those

who suffer from dna intolerance they

don't even need to touch a diversity and

inclusion policy simply being within

earshot of one

being discussed

is enough for symptoms to run rampant

the hands get clammy they start to

twitch their throats get dry some break

out in hives there have even been an

increasing number

of fits reported usually of the hissy

variety

but hey fits nonetheless

as an arab woman working in mainstream

media in australia and the first to work

in commercial television news i've seen

my fair share of these episodes

one time i was told it is impossible as

a white man to get promoted because of

tokenism

and this was said to me by a man who was

already in a pretty senior editorial

role and it was at a time when yes there

were some like vague murmurs about the

need for more representation but no

actual policies in place that was enough

for him to feel that he was now the

victim

so i did a little bit of google and

linkedin stalking i'm like a pro at

google stalking um and i found out that

since that discussion he's been promoted

not once but twice and at the time of

our chat academic research that i was

part of with four universities and media

diversity australia found that every

single television news director in the

country was a white man

but forget the media and looking at

corporate australia

it looks as though only white people get

promoted because asx 300 board directors

only five percent are not white and this

is in a country where a quarter of us

were born overseas half of us have a

parent who were born overseas and the

three most common countries of birth

outside of australia

are england india and china

white people being discriminated against

not

it flies in the face of evidence so if

it's not actually happening where is

this fear of reverse discrimination

coming from because there have been

countless studies in countless countries

in fact a summary of all the research

findings in all of these countries

came to the same conclusion

that if your name is say andrew peter or

john and i suspect there are a few of

you here today

you are far more likely to be hired than

say someone called viraj or wang

even if your qualifications are

identical

so affirmative action policies

like targets or quotas cannot be put in

the same basket as decades

of discrimination that's been enshrined

in policy and laws since colonization

and by their very design they were

designed to keep black people down

and brown people out

so in 1989 american academic and

feminist peggy mcintosh tried to put her

finger on the invisible ways in which

she was privileged as a white woman and

she came up with this 50-point essay and

it included a range of things like if

she was to flick on the television she

could be confident that she would see

somebody who looked like her

or if she walked into any or any

organization was like i want to speak to

the person in charge she would know that

she faced somebody of her race

and for her this was this really

important realization as to how racism

or discrimination manifests and it was

less about individual acts of violence

or cruelness and more about a series of

systems invisible systems and structures

that give benefit and dominance to one

race over another

and so yes over the past decade or so

diversity and inclusion has gained

momentum you've heard a lot about it

you've probably rolled your eyes about

it and in part it seeks to address

this entrenched inequity and recently a

corporate ceo he came up to me and he

said antoinette

i understand the need for diversity

inclusion theoretically i get it

it's better for social cohesion i

understand the business imperative it's

better for business but i'm getting this

pushback from my staff they're saying

things to me like oh well that gesture

is just tokenistic

and why did you hire that person how

come i couldn't apply for that role

that's just reverse discrimination

so there are those two concepts again

reverse discrimination tokenism now

tokenism that i have a problem with and

we're going to get back to it in just a

moment but reverse discrimination

doesn't exist it's a misnomer it's a

false equivalence

so i recently published my first book

which is very exciting

and it's essentially a toolkit

on diversity and inclusion and how to be

an anti-racism ally

and i decided to disprove all the kids

at school who always like said to me oh

you're never going to be anything more

than an un you know unpopular nerd

antoinette and so my book's called how

to lose friends and influence white

people

showed them

uh and about a month after its release

here's me at a bookstore i'm quietly and

discreetly re-merchandising because i

saw my book was like in the back aisle

near the fire hydrant and i was putting

it towards the front but don't judge me

because all authors do it i'm just

admitting to it

and i saw this woman and she was holding

my book and she was this well-dressed

middle-aged white woman and i was like

oh my god i have a fan and i was so

excited she caught my eye

she was smiling it was this really

beautiful moment and she comes up to me

and says

excuse me do you sell bookmarks at the

counter

so um i'm not as well known as i thought

but i took the opportunity to

tell her that no i'm not a staff member

i wrote the book that she's holding and

i asked her why she picked it up

she said that she has family that lives

all over the world they're in

interracial marriages and she wanted to

know how to have better conversations

about race and i was like amazing i'm

nailing it this is just the sort of

person we need to be an ally and do the

work

but then she continued

that it was especially important

because of her white south african

grandson

and that he had recently left south

africa and moved to north europe to

escape all of that ghastly reverse

discrimination that was impacting him

and i'm like

on the inside i almost snatched the book

off her but let's be honest a sale is a

sale

so before i had a chance to respond she

she starts to elaborate and says you

know there there are science

scholarships designed specifically for

black south african females and that is

unfair on my grandson and at the local

sporting club that there were racial

quotas and that it was all of that

tokenistic stuff that was disadvantaging

white people

ah deep breath now deep breaths

okay

there is one thing i agree with this

woman about

and it's that tokenism sucks it doesn't

benefit anybody so tokenism is a hasty

or half-hearted gesture to give the

appearance of diversity and inclusion to

give the appearance of caring but it

doesn't actually lead to shifts in power

it doesn't actually change people's

perceptions and views if anything

it makes them double down or makes them

worse because when something is

tokenistic it generally leads to more

discrimination and more hostility and

somebody like me who is apparently

benefiting and getting a leg up

from diversity and inclusion it usually

makes diverse people less likely to put

themselves forward less likely uh to

actually back themselves and more likely

to wonder if they belong in the first

place so diversity and inclusion or when

it's tokenism it's diversity and

inclusion done badly it's giving

diversity and inclusion a bad rap so i

want the record to note that nobody

benefits from tokenism

not somebody like me

not the 60 year old white bloke on the

golf course speaking to his all-male

boardroom mates complaining about the

fact that he heard murmurs that they

were going to hire a woman to join the

board and saying things to his mates

like well the best person at the jump

you know maybe she should just work

harder

you know all of i mean that anybody who

holds those views just sounds like a

minion to me because it's just like

incomprehensible and it's been debunked

so widely

so they don't benefit but certainly not

those said women who then get thrust

into that boardroom in a culturally

unsafe and hostile place and are

expected to thrive

so the grandmother and i we agree about

tokenism

but her views on reverse discrimination

are

how can i eloquently put this like just

horse [ __ ]

for the love of jesus buddha

muhammad yahweh and white women in

expensive activewear who recently

converted to yoga

[Applause]

taking steps to address entrenched

inequities is not akin to reverse

discrimination

real discrimination has been enshrined

in our laws and in our policies since

colonization and it continues to impact

black and brown people's lives our

health outcomes our

education opportunities our

over-representation in the criminal

justice system and crucially our access

to power and a fair go

these are the ways that discrimination

manifests not because

the woman's grandson wasn't considered

for a science scholarship designed for

black female students in south africa

i understand that on an individual level

it can feel

like you feel a bit aggrieved you can

feel let down you can feel a bit pissed

off like i would have really liked to

apply for that role i think i would have

really would have been really ace at

that job

but the change that is required to shift

these systemic inequities it's not

individual it's not about hurt feelings

because if you are white

or straight

able-bodied

male

or crucially all of the above you are

not being punished by diversity and

inclusion strategies

if you don't believe me

like a venn diagram or like shakira's

hips venn diagrams don't lie

these policies

simply seek to address the inequality

slippery slope because if one person has

a paper cut and another person has

cancer you don't just give both people a

band-aid

for black and indigenous women this

slope is more like canada's mount thor

it's almost a vertical cliff and that's

why different paths are required for

different people to essentially get them

to the same destination

so paths that are equal equitable and

fair don't actually allow people to

arrive at the same destination and

accepting this is step one

but many people refuse to take this

first step and they instead choose to

defend the status quo

that's probably because from their

vantage point things look pretty good

it's also probably because from their

position the system is currently working

for them but if you still can't get your

head around why different journeys are

required for different people and why

journeys that are equal equitable and

fair are not just three ways of saying

the same thing

let's take a trip to the local

supermarket so it's grocery shopping day

this time you remember your shopping

trolley token you come to insert it but

it doesn't work you try a few more

trolleys still no luck but it just so

happens then one in four tokens in this

trolley token distribution system is

flawed it doesn't work this is not an

equal shopping society because no matter

how much you hammer fist and cuss and

try and get that token to work you've

just got a dead token meanwhile others

around you

insert unlatch with ease kind of look

back at you smugly

and off they go but if the supermarket

wanted to make things more equitable

they could send an employee out to the

front with replacement tokens

but should everybody get a new token

even those if their token was working in

the first place no right

and then they put up the ante

a little bit more

and that would include removing the

barrier entirely and so that's providing

shopping trolleys with no tokens the

barrier is removed this is a fair

shopping society but ironically it's

fairness that is often touted in

opposition to diversity and inclusion

policies but there is nothing fair about

steep slopes or dodgy tokens for some

and cruisy paths for others

for migrant and refugee women in

australia they're overrepresented in

part-time and precarious service

industry work and a 2018 australian

institute of family studies report found

that women who have these roles and are

in domestic violence situation they are

far less likely to reach out for help

and the unstable precarious nature of

their work is part of the reason why

so the impact of workplace inequity

is far beyond just the workplace and

permeates through society

but let's go back to the supermarket for

just a moment because getting into the

supermarket

is one part that's the diversity part

but inclusion is what happens when you

get in

are you able to thrive and grow bring

your whole self are you encouraged

supported cultivated because when both

the diversity and inclusion part are

done well this is when

everybody benefits because diverse

organizations

they're more innovative than their

competitors they're better at

identifying risk

recent research from deloitte also

showed that they outperform their less

diverse competitors by 35

representation builds bridges it builds

trust it yields results

i cannot tell you the amount of times as

a journal

who grew up in western sydney with a

working-class arabic speaking background

that i was able to get angles or scoops

or exclusives because people felt more

comfortable speaking to somebody who

looked and sounded like them

and on the one hand i kind of want to

put it down to the fact that oh i'm

pretty awesome and that's why they want

to work with me

maybe it's a little bit of that but it's

more social science it's not rocket

science

and when there isn't trust

and representation the impacts can be

pretty catastrophic who can forget

sydney's lockdowns

and the lgas of concern

the red zone hot spots where half of the

city was treated like it was in a super

max prison and the other half

went to the beach

when monolithic leaders choose to

demonize and ostracize

our most diverse and vulnerable

communities

public health messages don't cut through

trust in institutions are lost

and the impact was pretty profound

australians born in the middle east were

10 times more likely to die from covert

now this is a shocking statistic but

it's not surprising

because trust was obliterated

so if i had my chance to pick my draw

off the ground go back to the bookstore

and pick up that conversation

with the woman worried about her

grandson here is what i would say

your grandson is not being punished by

diversity and inclusion policies he's

not missing out on opportunities it's

just ensuring that those communities and

those groups that have long been denied

access to a fair go finally get a chance

and at this point i'm imagining there's

like a bit of a crowd and people are

watching and so then i'm like

walking up the book aisle

because when we enter this world we

don't get a choice about the color of

our skin

our gender our sexuality our geography

and given the flawed trolley token

distribution system that permeates our

society i'd stop here i turn

you should understand your power and

privilege if you have a working token

so don't

be a barrier to change don't turn your

back on inclusion because the change

that is needed to shift and challenge

entrenched inequity it's not individual

it's not about your hurt feelings it's

systemic

it's far bigger than you and it most

certainly is not reverse discrimination

and then i would take about

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

you