You or Me

Tokenism, Assimilation, & the Perils of Conforming to the White Gaze

Abstract

When working in predominantly white institutions (PWIs), many Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) experience daily microaggressions, particularly the conflation of the identities of two BIPOC coworkers of the same race or ethnicity. Using autoethnography, the authors of this chapter describe their own experiences in public and academic libraries and how this “doubling” microaggression can slowly unravel the fabric of their identities. To preserve their identities, many BIPOC workers change, compete, and conform, attempting to disentangle their identities from each other. Through these acts, a kind of “double consciousness” (as described by W.E.B. DuBois) is formed, and impacted workers are faced with a larger question of self-identity. The chapter authors posit that “small” microaggressions are catalysts for deeper harm, including a cognitive dissonance that disrupts a stable sense of self and wellbeing. Instead, acts of resistance, such as creating trusted coalitions, can help BIPOC workers reject the white gaze and protect their collective individualized identities.