This paper seeks to identify, examine, and discuss the unique challenges for lesbians who serve in leadership positions in corporate America.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to identify, examine, and discuss the unique challenges for lesbians who serve in leadership positions in corporate America.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon a multi‐disciplinary framework of management, diversity, feminist, and leadership literature, the paper critically examines the myriad of pressures exerted upon all women in leadership positions, and then identifies the pressures that are specific and unique for lesbians.
Findings
There are pressures that are unique for lesbian leaders. These pressures include negotiating the heterosexism of the organization; invisibility versus visibility, and gender expression and gender role expectations.
Originality/value
The paper provides implications for human resource development to assume a stronger and more active role in uncovering tacit issues embedded in leadership so that organizational workplaces become locations of greater equity, access, and fairness for all who aspire to leadership positions.
Details
Keywords
David McGuire and Mammed Bagher
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on diversity training and examine the effect of power, privilege and politics on diversity in organisations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on diversity training and examine the effect of power, privilege and politics on diversity in organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper examining the arguments in favour and against diversity training in organisations. It identifies the presence of dominant groups in society leading to the marginalisation and oppression of minority diverse groups. It introduces the papers to the special issue under the three themes of: organisational impacts and outcomes; identify and self‐presentation and resistance to diversity.
Findings
The value of diversity training to promoting inclusivity, equality and fairness in organisations is underlined as is the importance of the human resource development community adopting a more proactive role in addressing the issue of diversity through research and course cirricula.
Originality/value
The paper introduces this special issue in “Diversity training in organisations” by examining the background concepts and providing an overview of the contributions to the issue.