Women are acculturated within systems that encourage them to sabotage one another; this book shows how they can break free of this cultural programming and use whatever privilege and power they have to raise each other up.
Joy Wiggins and Kami Anderson advocate that the only way women can successfully support each other is by addressing the varying intersections of our individual power and privileges, particularly focusing on how some privileges are inherited along lines of race, class, sexuality, and geography. When we fully examine how we have power in certain situations and not in others, we start to see where we can lend privilege to create truly inclusive spaces for the historically underrepresented and marginalized.
Wiggins and Anderson look at how the dynamics of privilege and power have played out in the history of the feminist movement and identify and break down socialized behaviors and ideologies that trigger implicit bias and microaggressions. And they provide tools to interrupt negative thoughts and actions so women can nurture mutual support and show up as their authentic selves. Each chapter features a dialogue between them reflecting on how issues of race, privilege, and power have played out in their lives and their friendship.
The system of patriarchy has created an environment for women to knowingly and unknowingly sabotage each other--it is not inherent in women themselves. This book teaches us how to take an active approach to becoming better allies for each other and by so doing improve our world and end the cycle of injustice.
About the Author
Joy Wiggins, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Joy Wiggins, PhD, LLC, a consulting company that focuses on equity, inclusion, and social justice. She received her doctorate from the Ohio State University in multicultural education with a focus on social justice in children's literature. Kami J. Anderson, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Bilingual Brown Babies, a company that focuses on fostering bilingualism in black families. She received her doctorate from Howard University in intercultural communication and culture. She is the author of Language, Identity, and Choice.
Praise For…
“Packed with everyday wisdom and common-sense recommendations, From Sabotage to Support provides an important alternative to our oppositional, combative social milieu. The authors offer insights, analyses, strategies, and everyday wisdom that give us the necessary tools to transform our workplaces into more equitable, harmonious, inclusive spaces.” —AnaLouise Keating, PhD, Professor and Doctoral Program Director, Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, and Gloria Anzaldúa scholar
“From Sabotage to Support is a fantastic addition to the body of knowledge for women (and allies) by women. This book lays down a solid foundation for people new to feminist and womanist journeys while providing immensely actionable guidance for managing our sabotaging behaviors toward ourselves and others. The authors thoughtfully include myriad diverse identities and movements that define the complex human experience. This book will forever change you, your workplace, and the way that you embrace and connect with people.” —Tiffany Jana, DM, CEO, TMI Portfolio, and coauthor of Overcoming Bias and Erasing Institutional Bias “Wiggins and Anderson have written a profound book to help us understand the role of patriarchal systems and how we can move from sabotage to support. This is a must-read for white women and women of color who are interested in how we can reclaim our voice and power and develop collaborative, authentic relationships across racial lines and create a new reality of support.” —Judith H. Katz, EdD, author of White Awareness, coauthor of Safe Enough to Soar, and Executive Vice President, The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc.
“The timeliness of From Sabotage to Support can’t be overstated. As an employer of a diverse group of individuals, thanks to the teachings in this book, I am now acutely aware of how I have helped perpetuate the patriarchy by rewarding workplace behaviors that originated with a system designed by white men to benefit only them. This book opens up a space for women to discuss how we’re unwittingly supporting the continuation of this system. As Wiggins and Anderson show us, we’ve been working against one another. By working together as a group, as seen in the Women’s Marches and the #MeToo movement and outlined in this book, we have a greater opportunity to better women’s lives when we lift each other up. The workplace can be competitive, but it doesn’t have to be. This enlightening book provides us with new tools to help white women recognize our privilege and our bias and change the way we lead as employers and the way we work as employees.” —Liz Bradford, owner of Bradford Public Relations Inc.
