Celebrating grand events like International Women’s Day is great, says Tasneem Chopra, but true inclusivity isn’t about a singular day.
“It’s about embedding change in the way organisations run themselves, ” says Chopra, a renowned cross-cultural consultant in the diversity, equity and inclusion space.
For years, she’s helped business, not-for-profits and governments understand and navigate diversity and inclusion using an intersectional lens.
Born in Kenya, Chopra is a fifth East African, born of Indian origin, but raised in country Victoria. This multicultural background has deeply informed her understanding of the importance of intersectional feminism in driving change.
Combining her experiences and identities, Chopra says has placed her in a position to be “curious about culture, about society and how where we’re from informs who we are”.
“Both the gender and the multicultural aspects of that experience” are important conversations to be had, she says, noting that we can address both at the same time.
“Feminism, for the longest time– a lot like the politics in this country– has failed to be as inclusive as it should be,” says Chopra, noting that it’s imperative we take an intersectional approach “that acknowledges that as women we are culturally diverse.”
“There’s just so many ways and complexities at which women as an entity do face disadvantage, are marginalised, and it goes beyond gender,” she says. “It goes beyond so much more. And when the intersection lens is applied, it gives visibility to those characteristics that mainstream feminism doesn’t acknowledge.”
Chopra says she hears from many women of colour in the public and corporate sectors who feel that they experience not only a glass ceiling but “a reinforced steel ceiling”.
There’s strength in making workplaces multicultural and Chopra says that the day-to-day experience of employees will be enriched once businesses finally embrace diversity in a genuine way instead of a “tokenistic way”.
“And suddenly the idea of having a multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual group isn’t considered extraordinary but is considered ordinary because that’s in fact what Australia looks like.”
“Let’s just be bold,” she says. “Make the uncomfortable choice– which for a lot of corporate leadership is to invite change.”
“And know that you can only grow from that change because it means increasing ideas, capacity and potential.”
Chopra shared this advice during her keynote session for Women’s Agenda’s new video app series, The Keynotes.
The Keynotes app shares “Mini Keynote” sessions and insights on leadership, equity, current affairs, climate and so much more. To watch Tasneem Chopra’s keynote as well as other sessions, sign up to the app here.