Sharing this old article bc I want folks to recognize that bigoted comments like "you only got accepted because of affirmative action" make people feel like frauds.

We sometimes call it imposter syndrome to cloak racism, sexism, and exclusion. https://www.google.com/amp/s/qz.com/work/1286549/imposter-syndrome-lets-toxic-work-culture-off-the-hook/amp/

When URMs, especially Black scientists, are being stopped at the entrance of their labs, IDs getting checked constantly, that is a structural cause of exclusion that transcends imposter syndrome.

Science actively treats Black folks like trespassers. This is not imposter syndrome

White & East Asian scientists can't say "oh honey we all have imposter syndrome" when talking to our colleagues who are actively being treated like they don't belong.

Black and Brown scientists get mistaken for cleaning staff. That is different than being mistaken for a trainee.

So when someone doesn't feel like they belong, don't be quick to diagnose them with imposter syndrome.

Take a hard look at the signals we give to cause a lack of belonging. Look at structural signals and barriers baked into the academic system. Scan yourself for exclusion first.

As mentioned in the article, I think hyperfocus on imposter syndrome is basically institutional gaslighting.

It's like telling oppressed folks that they have a mental problem, which happened to this person in an extreme way in a different industry: https://twitter.com/realnicocarter/status/1276269435892961280?s=20

And in another vein, the way we look down on disability accommodations actively breeds exclusion against those with disabilities too.

Academia has an ableism, racism, and sexism problem, not an imposter problem. https://twitter.com/PippaR5/status/1276929110686785544?s=20

And I think it is really important to note that this exclusionary effect is going to be strongest for those who are marginalized by multiple aspects of their identity.

Scholars can be excluded by race, gender, disability, class, sexual orientation, all at once.

Imposter syndrome can also be weaponized.

How many times has the acknowledgement of imposter syndrome steered the conversation to "detecting the real imposters"? https://twitter.com/robynedoesphd/status/1276933319901409280?s=20