The maze: Reflections on navigating intersectional identities in the workplace

Abstract

Myriam's story is the story of a woman who has faced several intersectional barriers throughout her life and career journey, leading her into a “maze” of dead-ends that has jointly prevented her motion. The telling of this story breaks the conventional masculine patterns of academic writing of recent years and represents a turning point in organizational thought. This piece contributes to the growing body of literature in organizational studies on “writing differently,” which advocates for alternative modes of writing and doing research, particularly feminist writing that incorporates storytelling, composite character, and arts-based research. The approach taken is informed by the use of metaphor, which provides an additional means to convey nuanced understandings and insights that may not be easily expressed through conventional academic writing. The account illuminates the way social identities operate in tandem with power dynamics, social and national context, patriarchy, and relationality to shape individuals' experiences of oppression and privilege. The discourse emphasizes how these factors interrelate and reinforce one another, giving rise to multiple forms of inequality that have significant impacts on women's professional experiences and careers. It uses inventiveness and creativity to provide an immediate emotional and embodied connection between the reader and the lived experiences of Myriam. By offering an in-depth written and visual representation that moves beyond “linguistic imperialism,” this paper intends to create a critically reflexive and inclusive space that makes the invisible embedded and insidious experience of oppression visible to a wider and more diverse audience.