How Did You Recognize Your Immediate Bias?

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Habibit: As an African American woman in this country, I struggled to understand how these biases were seen as implicit because everything about my race is explicit. So when my test came back saying that, you know, I showed this level of weight bias, it started to help me better understand like, oh, okay, this bias can be implicit. It wasn't something I was aware of in myself having always struggled with the idea of weight and then being overweight. And so because of that, it mattered toI'm a healthcare professional. How can I have this implicit bias and not be aware if they're coming through in my behaviors or my actions when I'm caring for the people

Have you ever hesitated to take on a particular role or get up in front of other people because you felt self-conscious about your weight? Or worried that others would see you as unprofessional or “not equipped” for leadership positions? Perhaps you’ve made offhand comments about a colleague’s eating habits?

Weight bias is everywhere, including at work, and yet it’s rarely discussed openly or made part of efforts to create equitable and inclusive workplaces. It should be, especially given what we know about the economic and emotional costs to women who are on the receiving end of this stigma.

Two women who have studied weight bias at work—and the misconceptions that underpin it—help us understand our role in creating a positive body culture.

Guests:

Dr. Habibah Williams is a nurse practitioner at the University of Virginia.

Grace Lemmon is a management professor at DePaul University.

Resources: