DEI DEI Intersectionality and Identity 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a 'visible' identity dimension?
- Religious beliefs
- Socioeconomic background
- Race or skin color (Correct answer)
- Political affiliation
Correct answer: Race or skin color
Race and skin color are visible identity dimensions because they are typically observable by others and can trigger immediate bias or discrimination without any disclosure.
Question 2: What is meant by 'invisible' or 'concealable' identity dimensions in DEI practice?
- Identities that are illegal to discuss in the workplace
- Identities such as sexual orientation, disability, or religion that individuals may or may not disclose (Correct answer)
- Identities held only by majority group members
- Identities that have no impact on workplace experience
Correct answer: Identities such as sexual orientation, disability, or religion that individuals may or may not disclose
Concealable identities are those that others cannot easily observe, giving the individual some control over disclosure but often creating 'covering' stress and authenticity costs.
Question 3: What does 'covering' refer to in the context of workplace identity?
- Wearing appropriate business attire
- Downplaying or concealing a stigmatized identity to assimilate into the dominant culture (Correct answer)
- Filing a formal HR complaint about discrimination
- Applying for FMLA leave
Correct answer: Downplaying or concealing a stigmatized identity to assimilate into the dominant culture
Covering, a concept developed by sociologist Erving Goffman and applied to workplaces by Kenji Yoshino, describes the effort employees make to minimize or hide identities that differ from the dominant norm.
Question 4: In DEI training, what is the 'social identity wheel' exercise designed to do?
- Rank employees by their diversity contribution
- Help individuals reflect on multiple dimensions of their identity and how those shape their experiences (Correct answer)
- Assign employees to ERGs based on demographic data
- Measure team productivity by identity composition
Correct answer: Help individuals reflect on multiple dimensions of their identity and how those shape their experiences
The social identity wheel prompts participants to consider various identity dimensions—race, gender, class, ability, etc.—and reflect on which feel most salient and how they affect their daily experiences.
Question 5: What is 'identity salience' in the context of DEI awareness?
- The legal category of a protected class under federal law
- The degree to which a particular identity dimension feels prominent or relevant to an individual in a given context (Correct answer)
- The visibility of diversity metrics on a corporate dashboard
- The percentage of employees who disclose a specific identity
Correct answer: The degree to which a particular identity dimension feels prominent or relevant to an individual in a given context
Identity salience refers to how much a specific identity (e.g., being a woman, being disabled) is psychologically foregrounded in a particular situation or environment.
Question 6: Which US federal law protects employees from discrimination based on national origin, contributing to DEI awareness of ethnic identity dimensions?
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Correct answer)
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
- Equal Pay Act of 1963
Correct answer: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, providing the legal foundation for protecting ethnic identity dimensions.
DEI DEI Intersectionality and Identity 2
Which of the following is an example of a 'visible' identity dimension?