Fulfilling the promise of greater workplace inclusion increasingly hinges on advantaged group employees’ oppositional courage (OC)—a non-normative form of allyship involving significant risk to the actor. Research suggests OC may not only offer instrumental benefits to marginalized employees but also convey a powerful “message of value” from the actor. Yet these courageous acts do not occur in a vacuum, suggesting they may carry more complex social consequences for marginalized employees. Drawing from theory on helping relations and research on social cognition, we argue that these risky acts can also inadvertently signal unique personal strength in the actor, triggering marginalized employees’ diminished image belief—a concern that others see them as weak and unable to stand up for themselves. We further propose that this perceived “image cost” depends on the actor’s humility as it relates to OC—what we term OC-specific humility (OCSH)—and that these dynamics, in turn, influence marginalized employees’ avoidance reactions. We tested our model using data from 785 trans employees. In Study 1, a qualitative analysis revealed three forms of humble behavior in relation to OC. In Study 2, we tested our hypotheses experimentally. In Study 3, we sought to replicate our results with a time-lagged survey. Two supplemental studies included a scale development effort aimed to validate a measure of OCSH and an additional experiment. Overall, the results provided mixed support for our theoretical model. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our research, as well as avenues for future work.

Women in historically male-dominated careers such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) contend with masculine contest cultures (MCCs). MCCs are work environments that encourage competition to achieve dominance, promotions, and other rewards. Such workplaces induce stress, particularly for those in the numerical minority, who experience pressure to adhere to masculine norms. Although support from one's romantic partner can buffer negative experiences of workplace stress, limited research exists about the role of partner (positive) dyadic coping when faced with hostile work environments. Grounded in the systemic transactional model of dyadic coping, we conducted a two-phase sequential mixed-method study. Phase 1 included a cross-sectional study that examined whether women faculty's perceptions of MCC in STEM departments at research-focused universities were associated with turnover intentions, and if partner positive dyadic coping buffered this association. Phase 2 included a qualitative study, applying a thematic analysis to explore how women STEM faculty experience their partner's supportive behaviors during times of workplace stress. Findings highlight how romantic partner support can buffer negative experiences of workplace stress. This research calls attention to university administrators to think beyond the workplace when identifying support resources for faculty in promoting well-being.

Management educators play a central role in the development of student diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) competencies. Yet few resources exist to support management faculty to teach about concepts beyond the binary constructs of “men” and “women” despite the increased visibility of transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) issues in DEI work. In the following chapter, we explain why TGNB integration into the management curriculum is relevant, necessary, and central to the advancement of intersectional social justice in our institutions. We also identify and untangle four paradoxes faculty may grapple with when teaching TGNB content including: (1) defining gender; (2) adopting inclusive language; (3) validating TGNB students’ identities; and (4) approaching TGNB issues from a positive, yet realistic, perspective. We argue that the effective integration of TGNB content in management education calls for a reflexive approach, one where faculty become comfortable with the discomfort of not knowing. We conclude with a summary of practical recommendations and resources for TGNB integration in the management classroom.

Profiles in persistence: A latent profile analysis of coping strategies among women in the sciences

The purpose of this study was to examine how women in STEM occupations engage multiple coping strategies across locations of response. Beyond discovering merely “high” or “low” engagement with specific strategies in isolation, our work presents a complex and multifaceted display of strategies combined in unique constellations.

Inside the prism of an invisible threat: Shining a light on the hidden work of contending with systemic stereotype threat in STEM field

The purpose of this research was to understand how women in academic STEM navigate careers in professional contexts that are infused with systemic stereotype threat.

Sexual harassment training: Often necessary but rarely sufficient

Even the best developed and most evidence-based training will have limited impact if the training is embedded in an institutional context that does not support the training, or worse, tolerates incivility and other exclusionary behaviors.

Context - Levels - Culture: A diagnostic framework for consulting to diversity, equity, and inclusion change in organizations

The purpose of this paper is to propose a systems approach to diagnosing DEI issues in organizations for consultation and change.

Cruz, M., Fong-Olivares, Y., Davi, W. C., Taveras, M. J. (2023). Adding the “J” for justice: How Executive Education can center social justice in diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) training for corporate leaders. In J. Marques (Ed.) The Palgrave Handbook of Fulfillment, Wellness, and Personal Growth at Work. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham