Bare with me, for this blog post may be controversial to some. However as an individual facing an existence of oppression and gender inferiority, caused by my being in the intersectionality of the African American and woman identities, I feel the need to post a candid blog.
“One’s racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership,” the group said. “The NAACP Alaska-Oregon-Washington State Conference stands behind Ms. Dolezal’s advocacy record.”
The Rachel Dolezal, scandal has given me a vast amount of cognitive dissonance for various reasons. However, today I am choosing to analyze this situation with leadership theory. Dolezal, is a woman who has risen in the ranks to become a leader and representative of a very significant organization (NAACP), For this to have happened, Dolezal may have had to meet various criteria, those including “Take risks, but not be consistently outstanding, Being tough, but not macho, Being ambitious, but know they will not receive equal treatment Taking responsibility, but follow others’ advice” (Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, 2012)
Dolezal’s life work is commendable and impressive. However her fluid transition into a “black cultural” identity is worry some to me. “Culture is the learned behaviors characterizing the total way of life of members within any given society” (Hofstede, 2001, Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, 2012). I’d even go as far as saying it’s comparable to the heinous act of “black face.” Moreover, appreciating diversity is a goal that the majority of leaders share. However assuming an identity that is not your own, is deceptive and unethical leadership behavior. Black individuals cannot assume an eurocentric identity at will, nor can biracial individuals openly profess to being white.
Lastly, social dominance theory (states that human societies are organized into hierarchies of status) (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999) can further explain this situation. Dolezal clearly has an affinity for black culture. Which lead her down a path of servant leadership. However in order to be effective or seen as more of an in group member she assumed a black identity. Social media, trended with a Transracial hashtag. While making comparisons between Bruce Jenner’s very public transition into becoming a women and Dolezal.
What do you think about #Transracial? Can Dolezal maintain effective leadership after this scandal in your opinion?
Work Cited
https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su15/psych485/001/content/13_lesson/08_page.html
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/12/us/washington-spokane-naacp-rachel-dolezal-identity/
Great BLOG post, and nice selection on the topic. Several nights ago I was surfing the web and came across this article about “Dolezal” and found it very intriguing. She was raised by two “White” parents (claims now they may not be her biological parents), blond as a little girl, and now very different from the way she looked only a few years back. Despite all these personal changes, she became a leader of women. Although I am not a women, I am a married man, and have a daughter, and want nothing but the best for the both of them in this “male” dominated world. I say “male” dominated world only because of my professional experiences that have led me to work in places like Iraq, Kuwait, EL Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, Ukraine, Nigeria and several others, where I have seen women being treated as second class citizens. So I too commend the desire for Dolezal as a front running women to take charge and break through glass ceilings. In my opinion gender transformation individuals often times seek transformation because of a deep down suppressed confirmation to become what they truly feel, they do not negate it when they come out. Dolezal on the other hand, avoids. Transgender individuals are fighting a personal battle with imposed society gender expectations, and when they break through the hiding, they feel real and relived (based on what I have read). They answer with conviction weather you like it or not. As for Dolezal, she avoids point blank questions and you can clearly see the confusion in her eyes. Now, talking about leadership, “Katz’s approach was an attempt to transcend the trait problem by addressing leadership as a set of developable skills” (Northouse, 2012/13,pg 43)….thus in Dolezal’s case referring to the trait of integrity, intelligence and self confidence – where she is lacking true foundation.
Additionally the moment she is confronted with difficult question (as a public representative, your life is no long private) she has proven to “flight” (run) in the case of the “fight or flight” concept. Katz goes on to say “a multitude of studies have been published that contend that a leader’s effectiveness depends on the leader’s ability to solve complex organizational problems.”(Northouse, 2012,13.pg 43). As a leader of a well know organization, she has found herself in a very complex problem that I think will ultimately make her run. She lacks the foundation of “self actualized” leader who hides behind nothing and believes in what and who they are as a person regardless of the fact they are small, tall, fat, skinny, ugly or beautiful, black or white women or man.
Reference
Northouse, Peter G. Leadership: Theory and Practice, 6th Edition. SAGE Publications, Inc, 02/2012. VitalBook file.