The latest news from NCVO
As we near the end of Pride Month, Woosh Raza, NCVO’s director of people, culture and inclusion, and Shani Newbold, managing partner for Cadence Partners, share their thoughts on intersectionality.
Last week I was asked at a panel event when was the last time I felt truly seen. I recalled earlier this year when I broke fast with my work colleagues during Ramadan. I distinctly remember wearing my shalwar kameez and the pride I felt sharing my Iftar with work colleagues. I loved being able to recall this example whilst wearing a fabulous sequin purple suit to mark the start of pride month.
Some may call this a juxtaposition. I call it my identity.
Sacrificing parts of my identity
The notion of holding multiple truths is liberating in and of itself. We are conditioned in society to apply either/or thinking to uphold institutional ideologies which are rooted in white supremacy. Either I’m Gay or I’m Muslim. Either I’m ambitious or kind. Either I’m an Executive or I am learning.
For the longest time I have struggled to find a sense of belonging because of this very predicament. ‘Too queer to be brown and too brown to be queer’ is a phrase I often use when describing my identity.
I eventually landed on emphasising my queerness in work to assimilate at the cost of my race and religion.
Read more here: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/pride-in-intersectionality/#/
