Despite calls for increased levels of diversity and inclusion, men still dominate leadership positions. In particular, white men without disabilities are the most common demographic in the United States Congress and in boardrooms and C-Suites across the country. Aboard, women and people with disabilities continue to fight for representation, only to find an uphill battle to be heard once they join the ranks of leadership.
It’s time to take a deep dive into representation to learn why women with disabilities – and especially women of color with disabilities still feel unwelcome in leadership roles.
More women with disabilities are entering the workforce
The first thing to consider is the number of women with disabilities in the workforce. There’s a myth that women with disabilities don’t get hired because they don’t apply to high-level positions. This conveniently excuses hiring managers who mainly interview male and able-bodied candidates. However, studies show that women with disabilities continue to enter the workforce and are eagerly seeking employment.
In 2018 (the most recent year for this data) more than 108,000 women with disabilities entered the workforce. This is significant considering only 35.7 percent of women with disabilities are part of the workforce, compared to 72.8 percent of women without disabilities.
However, when you eliminate gender as a factor, there were only minor gains for people with disabilities. Almost 95,000 men with disabilities lost jobs that year and left the workforce. This means there was only a total net gain of 13,000 people with disabilities in the workforce.
What does this data mean? It reflects the efforts of employers more than employees. If there was steady job growth for both men and women, then it might highlight how the workplace has become more accessible. However, because so many men with disabilities lost jobs as women gained them, it feels like women with disabilities might be replacing male colleagues instead of working alongside them.
Women with disabilities face barriers globally
While women entering the workforce is a good thing, the data doesn’t really provide insight into the positions they are taking on. Are women with disabilities entering senior positions? Do they have a seat at the table in the boardroom?
According to data shared by the United Nations, women with disabilities aren’t typically represented in positions of power when it comes to elected leadership.
- Across 19 countries, 2.3 percent of women with disabilities and 2.8 percent of men with disabilities held a position as a legislator, senior official, or manager.
- In gender equality institutions, women with disabilities had zero representation in seven out of 17 countries surveyed.
- One in four adults (25 percent) live with a disability.
Sukoluhle Mhlanga represents young women with disabilities in the Women’s Coalition in Zimbabwe. She has found that many women with disabilities are placed in leadership positions just to fulfill diversity policies, which means they are expected to serve as symbolic members rather than active participants.
“Many think we are a charity case and even if we are capable to lead and participate in politics, we do not get the chance,” Mhlanga says. “We need to change perceptions on people with disabilities, especially women so that they are able to actively take leadership positions.”
In private organizations, women as a whole remain left out. Women and people of color make up only 38 percent of Fortune 500 board seats as of 2020. Women overall made up 27 percent of board seats. The report does not cover people with disabilities.
While it is a positive sign that women with disabilities are entering the workforce, many still aren’t able to advance into leadership positions.
Women of color face triple jeopardy syndrome
Race also plays a factor in how women with disabilities are treated in the workplace, further limiting representation. In a forward for a report by the National Disability Institute, Donna Walton shared her experience as an African American woman with a disability. She refers to the idea of triple jeopardy syndrome, where race, gender, and disability all play a role in how she is treated.
“The impact of the triple jeopardy syndrome cannot be overstated, as an African American woman with a disability can never be quite sure if her race, gender, or disability is hurting her chances for advancement,” says Walton. “My experiences—being denied employment and facing financial planners who make false assumptions about my income status and earning potential because of my disability, for instance—prompt my suspicions that triple jeopardy may still be working against me today.”
To see an example of this in real-time, revisit the study mentioned above that documented women and people of color on Fortune 500 board seats. Many companies view adding women as diverse enough, which is why 81 percent of board members are white and 54 percent are white men. Companies claim to promote diversity by placing white female directors on their boards. Factoring disability into the mix creates a triple-minority experience with even less support and representation.
Representation matters to people of all backgrounds
Representation of women with disabilities and particularly women of color with disabilities allows other people to understand what they are capable of. It is essential for women and girls who don’t yet know their full potential. Consider the, “if you can see her, you can be her,” ad campaign, which promotes the idea that visual representation helps the next generation understand that they can be elected officials, board members, astronauts, or any other career path regardless of ability, gender, or race.
“When I say leaders, I mean everything from taking the initiative to help out a friend, to running for political office,” Erin Hawley writes at Easterseals “Being able to witness disabled women in these roles lets us know that we can exist and thrive just as we are. I want the younger generation to recognize the struggles we face and how we are pushing against those struggles. And more importantly, I want young disabled women to see possibility.”
Representation also allows for a voice at the table. Having a hero to look up to is important, but these figureheads need to be enacting change and making a difference. They need to be empowered in order to empower and inspire others.
“Disability is often overlooked in policy discussions unless someone with a disability is at the table,” Kate Caldwell and Brenda Parker write at Gender on the Ballot. As an example, they highlight the work of Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a veteran and double-amputee who is the second of three Asian American women to serve in the Senate. She recently fought to pass legislation to require airlines to report the number of broken wheelchairs.
Read more: Air Carrier Access Act.
Through Senator Duckworth’s legislation, we now know that airlines damage or break 29 wheelchairs per day on average, which adds up to more than 15,425 wheelchairs per year. These damages have significant consequences for wheelchair users and have even led to the deaths of some travelers.
Related: Senator Bob Casey Introduces S. 3333 Requiring Airlines to Improve Accessibility of Entertainment.
Senator Duckworth also uses her platform to highlight what it means to be a woman in Congress. In 2018, she made history when she cast a vote while holding her newborn daughter. She made sure her daughter followed the Senate dress code, dressing her in a turquoise cardigan that acted as a blazer.
Symbolic actions like casting a vote while using a wheelchair and nursing a newborn serve as more than good media photo opportunities. They also show young girls what is possible as they grow into adults. This is why some groups are working to promote visibility for women with disabilities and to form mentorships with the next generation.
“Increasing the self-esteem and confidence of girls with disabilities by pairing them with successful disabled women mentors is key because their shared experiences of disability and womanhood allow the mentor to demonstrate to the mentee what disabled women and girls truly can achieve,” says Stephanie Woodward for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
Inclusion is an active process
It’s not up to women with disabilities to fight for a seat at the table. True inclusivity means creating a seat for them and for eliminating barriers that create double, triple, or even quadruple jeopardy syndrome.
To see how other organizations practice active inclusivity, check out our Accessibility Matters™ Video Interview Series. Learn how companies benefit from creating accessible work environments and how they made changes to make diverse workers feel welcome.
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