Going Beyond Performative Inclusion

As we dive into the topic of inclusion, I want to acknowledge that my understanding comes through my distinct perspective as a Métis woman. My identity shapes my worldview. While I have my distinct perspective, I have been taught by my parents and many Elders that everyone is invited around the fire – this teaching emphasizes that all perspectives and all people are welcomed in the circle, and all perspectives are valued.

Being in circle together allows us to deepen our understanding of the world by seeking to understand the perspectives of others. I bring this teaching into my understanding of inclusion.

In many Indigenous nations, women were knowledge keepers, decision-makers, midwives, healers, and land protectors.

Sweetgrass as a framework for learning

Sweetgrass teachings emphasize the interconnectedness of humans with nature and the spiritual significance of the plant itself. It is often used in ceremonies for purification and healing, and it teaches us to respect the earth and its gifts.

Sweetgrass is seen as the hair of Mother Earth, representing her gentle love and kindness. The three parts of the sweetgrass braid represent past, present, and future, as well as the spirit, body, and mind. I will weave my thoughts on the topic of inclusion together like a sweetgrass braid to incorporate historical impacts, present day realities, and a vision for the future.

For much of history, women’s work has been undervalued or limited to unpaid domestic roles. Industrialization brought some into paid labour, but often in low-paying roles that were considered suitable for women at the time, such as textile work, domestic service, and clerical positions.

However, Elders have shared that women have always led – even when we weren’t seen.

In many Indigenous nations, women were knowledge keepers, decision-makers, midwives, healers, and land protectors. Colonization disrupted these roles, replacing relational leadership with hierarchies that often-excluded women. Settler systems and policies removed women from their leadership roles. These histories matter when we look at who is still underrepresented in boardrooms and executive tables today.

This historic reality translated to a disconnect from my ancestral gifts and the idea that my perspective, my ideas, my identity, were not valued. So I worked to fit into the mold that society deemed acceptable. This attempt to shapeshift was not always successful.

As feminist movements and the rise of efforts towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation continued, there were more steps forward. However, despite progress, women – especially women of colour, Indigenous women, and those with disabilities – remain underrepresented in executive roles due to systemic barriers.

Women also often face double binds, being seen as too assertive or not assertive enough. Biases around leadership traits like decisiveness and confidence often default to masculine norms. Additionally, traits deemed valuable in leadership roles are primarily Eurocentric. There is still pressure to shapeshift and fit in.

Despite progress, women – especially women of colour, Indigenous women, and those with disabilities – remain underrepresented in executive roles due to systemic barriers.

So, where do we go from here?

I’d like to share a teaching that I was recently gifted by the trees.

This teaching helped me resist the urge to fit into the dominant discourse and instead ask why the systems can’t shift to fit me. Transformative inclusion goes beyond representation in the boardroom. It is about remembering who we’ve always been. It’s about reclaiming your unique gifts and sharing those with the world. It’s about forging a path forward and creating space for others to follow. It’s about taking your place in the circle and highlighting the value of each voice within that circle.

Real transformative inclusion honours diverse knowledges, recognizes unique gifts, and makes room for ceremony, for story, and for reciprocal relationships.

While performative inclusion provides us some space in the circle, it falls short of providing the type of transformation we all seek.

Transformative inclusion is about restoring balance, de-centering Eurocentric ideas of success, and decolonizing systems.

Real transformative inclusion honours diverse knowledges, recognizes unique gifts, and makes room for ceremony, for story, and for reciprocal relationships. It de-centers the individualistic frameworks of power and leadership and embraces a collective model.

We don’t need to assimilate into dominant systems to lead. We need systems that adapt to include our ways of leading. Ways that are often relational, circular, intuitive, and grounded in values like reciprocity and respect.