In SAGE Athena Swan (or any equity work, for that matter), we recognise that a person’s social position is shaped by a range of internal and external factors including (but not exclusively) age, ethno-racial identity, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity, disability status, gender identity and expression, intersex status, sexual orientation, religion and belief, appearance, and socioeconomic background.
These aspects interact with each other in ways that may compound disadvantage or privilege. We refer to this concept as intersectionality.
To achieve positive outcomes for everyone in a target group, organisations must take an intersectional approach to designing, implementing and evaluating their policies and initiatives. In fact, it’s one of the SAGE Athena Swan principles.
