Intersectionality and the Glass Cliff

Thinking about Kamala Harris, white feminism, the far right and Black women being the mammies of the world.

Yesterday I recorded a podcast called Unpacking Intersectionality in Toxic Productivity Culture. While I’ve been well-supported by journalists regarding my book, it's noticeable that questions about intersectionality and the disproportionate impact of toxic productivity culture on Black women and women of the global majority are rarely asked.

The serendipitous timing with Joe Biden announcing his endorsement of Kamala Harris for the US Presidency on the same day I recorded this podcast is not lost on me. I am thinking deeply about the path ahead for Kamala Harris and what it means for American society and the Western world at large.

Kamala Harris stands as a sign of progress and diversity. She represents the kind of change many of us hope to see. And yet I question what does diversity actually mean when DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion)  has been co opted as a dog whistle racist slur. When governments and corporations are backtracking on their DEI commitments for example Microsoft laid off its DEI team just last week.

Harris' potential candidacy comes at a time when the political climate is far from welcoming. During Obama’s campaign there was a curiosity about him and his potential, I am not sure I see this here (notice I said curiosity as his candidacy was not welcome). The overt radical right-wing resurgence in the US (and across the western world) poses a significant threat, and Harris, being at the intersection of race and gender is a red rag to the opposition, she is already being referred to as a diversity hire.

In my podcast I reflect on the 2016 election, where the majority of white women voters in the US chose Trump. It's clear that societal biases and political allegiances often overshadow progress. 

This is alarming and speaks to the difference between white feminism, intersectionality and true liberation for women.

The personal toll on Harris will be significant, particularly in light of the backlash we saw against the first Black president. The question is, is America ready for a leader who is Black, Asian, and female? (absolutely not)

In my podcast episode, I explore how true liberation for Black women involves embracing softness and recognising our worth beyond society's rigid expectations. Harris’ potential presidency is a powerful symbol of this, yet it also places her at the edge of the "glass cliff," where women, especially Black are given leadership roles in times of crisis, setting them up for undue scrutiny and challenges. When will we stop being the world’s mammies?

Supporting Kamala Harris means more than endorsing a candidate. It’s advocating for systemic changes, confronting societal biases including the ones that have been internalised, and creating environments where leaders like Harris can thrive. We must ask ourselves if we are ready for transformation? 

This is not just an American issue, we are all being invited to do our shadow work.

Change is not enough. We tend to think of change as something that happens ‘over there’ or in a piecemeal fashion as it allows us to avoid discomfort. This creates the illusion of progress whilst allowing the status quo to shapeshift and remain.

Transformation however is chaos, its a dramatic change.

Are we ready for that level of drama?