“Imposter syndrome/impostor phenomenon occurs among high achievers who are unable to internalize and accept their success. They often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud.” (American Psychological Association)
As Tulshyan and Burey’s article points out, when imposter syndrome was first made, intersectionalities of race, sex, gender, and class, were left out. As a result, it creates an emotion that often leaves out the context of how populations were treated in the past. For example, those treated as a professional in the workplace frequently are straight White men. Places frequented by the majority were not made for us. When we’re placed in these situations, it becomes painfully apparent. By coining this term as “imposter syndrome,” we deem aspects of racism and sexism built into systems used to oppress minority populations unnecessary.
Feeling unsure about your place within a professional setting while also sitting in a room of primarily White males is normal. Imposter syndrome is simply anxiety. The idea that spaces like these weren’t made for Black women is accurate. The history of how Black women have been treated within ANY space is evidence of that. If there was a time when even our hair was considered “not appropriate,” the same thing can occur to our thoughts, feelings, and ideas within the workplace. The article also discusses how often women of color try to hold themselves to standards that no one in their population has ever achieved, creating feelings of unworthiness or mediocrity. Having a goal and not achieving that goal without considering the boundaries that may have prevented you can also make this feeling. Creating spaces that invite inclusivity and diversity can express different leadership styles and pave the way for reducing imposter syndrome.
This isn’t an explanation of why we shouldn’t use the phenomenon of imposter syndrome when we may feel like fraud within professional settings. Instead, this is an idea to think twice when using this phenomenon to explain feelings of inferiority and first ask, am I the only Black person in this room?
Tulshyan, Ruchika, and Jodi-ann Burey. “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome.” Harvard Business Review, 4 Aug. 2022, https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome.