Extract from Blair Heidenreich’s article “Advocating for Representation in the Legal Profession”
For years, I could never picture myself as a bride. As a plus size woman, I didn’t see “myself” in wedding magazines, or any magazines for that matter. In the media, what I did see? Really funny chubby women. So, that’s what I aspired to be—or what I perceived my potential to be. The super funny, loud, fat friend.
Representation is seeing people that are like you portrayed in a positive light. They may be similar physically, neurologically, or in terms of race, gender, and other qualities of your identity—leading companies, being portrayed in a positive light. When we don’t see that representation, it’s hard to believe that there’s a place for us at the table.
When we see representation opens up doors for marginalized groups to have more than just a dialogue about inclusion, diversity, and belonging. We see ourselves at the top. It inspires us to strive for more. Those representations soon become pillars of confidence, creating space for the underrepresented.
In the professional world, it offers courage to help us go for that promotion or become leaders, all because of inspiration to go beyond what we thought was possible for us.
