Adulting 101: Dealing with the workplace ‘isms’

Nati Feliciano-Soto, Contributing Writer 

It is often said they are a myth, that they do not exist anymore because we have fought for equality and created laws to protect us from them — yet when you set foot in a workplace that is dominated by one race or gender, if you are stand out through no fault of your own, you will experience the “isms.” 

What are the “isms” you ask? Racism, sexism, ableism and homophobia are the unfortunate collateral events that make up the minority experience. These “isms” may unfortunately always exist in some essence in the workplace. 

The job market already takes the cake for being the worst in modern history, according to NBC news — how does one find and keep a job when a million other obstacles also stand in your way?

I have always felt I had to refuse to disclose to guarantee a job interview as a Latinx woman. 

Even just as a woman, I am subjected to lower pay, the risk of sexual harassment by my male coworkers or retaliation by men in positions of power if I speak my mind as I please. 

Finally, as a disabled person, my stutter is a wall between being seen as an individual and being talked over, made fun of or bluntly laughed at. 

This piece is a love letter to every person of color, as I have witnessed the marginalization of us people of color in the job market. It is an atrocity that we sometimes choose to not disclose our race depending on a job and how badly we want it. 

I am disappointed by it all, especially being in a country that claims to value diversity and tries to instill this idea through laws that protect against discrimination based on race. 

I have been working in the retail and fast-food industries since I was 16. The amount of amazing Black and Latinx women who are smart, intelligent, powerful and who practically run these industries on their backs is insane. 

Corporate greed takes away a living wage for these women and kills any motivation for upward growth in the company — yet they are the backbones. Racism in these fast-food and retail workplaces is rampant, seen clearly through the lack of support and dignity minimum wage employees of color are given. 

Women like Vice President Kamala Harris, Puerto Rican American writer AJ Mendez, Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj and others are examples of success from women of color who have surpassed society’s limited expectations. 

Racism does not define these women. Rather, they have strived above it and helped build a network for the next generation to enter higher workspaces and carry that work ethic with them — and for that, I say thank you. 

I feel like things have gotten significantly better for women statistically speaking. As the Labor Department and Forbes have reported, “The labor participation rate for prime-age women between 25 and 54 reached an all-time high of 77.8% in June 2023,” according to NPR. More and more women are pursuing careers and higher education, yet for some reason the U.S. dares not provide correct maternity leave. 

This caused a lot of hard-working women, who sacrificed years upon years of their lives for opportunities, to drop out to take care of their families — all while receiving lesser pay solely based on their gender. How rude!

Girls run the world, and yet we continue to see a rise in sexual harassment complaints in the workplace, and witness successful women being accused of sleeping their way to the top. It is an embarrassment to society’s progress. 

No matter how many laws are passed to protect us, the catastrophic consequences of sexism still haunt us to this extent.

People still use phrases like “this is a man’s job,” yet women like former WWE wrestler Chyna have broken gender barriers in typically male-dominated sports. 

Margaret Smith opened doors for women in Congress. In the media, Oprah Winfrey became the first woman to produce her own talk show — both male-dominated industries.

This is why I take offense to the phrase “this is a man’s job.” Time and time again, women have proven that what a man can do, a woman can do just as well, and sometimes better.

Addressing the notion that certain roles are reserved for one gender is not just a matter of challenging outdated stereotypes, but also a call to recognize the diverse abilities everyone brings to the table. 

This brings us to another layer of inequality that extends beyond gender — disability discrimination. To my fellow disabled peeps: Our experience is both unique and painful in different ways.

The other day I was told that I was a liability to my small business job near campus due to a recent medical issue. I was also harassed based on my stutter — but that’s an everyday experience for me. It is tough when you constantly have to fight more than others to belong. 

I have become more vocal lately about embracing diversity and I encourage you to do the same. Not everyone in this world practices kindness. When you are done grieving that fact, though, I want you to pick yourself back up, look in the mirror and realize that you are a fighter. 

No human “abnormality” can stop you from pursuing your dreams — the universe gave you the task of being trailblazers. 

Many people with disabilities, like famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, American mathematician John Nash, American actress Marylin Monroe and Puerto Rican model Sofía Jirau have all been trailblazers in their prospective careers.

If you ever experience discrimination in the workplace, do not hesitate to call the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and file a complaint.

Never fear retaliation. Use your voice. Whether you’re a woman, a person of color, someone with a disability or part of the LGTBQ+ community, your identity is powerful. Barriers are non-existent to a person who has been given the ultimate superpower: their diversity.