This recognises how different aspects of a person’s identity might affect how they experience the world and the related barriers.[1] An intersectional feminist lens encourages supervisors and supervisees to question their own experiences and how they might create assumptions about another’s experience. It assists supervisees to:
- better understand how different forms of marginalisation impact others
- reflect on own lived experience of power, privilege and oppression and the impacts on work with clients and other professionals[2]
- consider the system more broadly
- be more targeted in their advocacy for improving gender and broader equality.
It also helps practitioners appreciate the need for personalised and tailored solutions.
The message that ‘personal is political’[3] is critical, as is the role of the supervisor to create this awareness for the supervisee. Supervisors can use supervision to examine the effect of hierarchies and the power differential between the supervisor and supervisee. It is crucial for supervisors to critically reflect on their own position of power and avoid taking a paternalistic approach to supervision. The aim is to create a more empowering and egalitarian relationship.[4] The notion that the ‘personal is professional’ and bringing your whole self to work can also be considered a feminist act.[5]
‘Checking your privilege isn’t about creating a sliding scale of who’s worse off – it’s about learning and understanding the views of other feminists and remembering that we’re all in this together. True equality leaves no-one behind.’
— International Women’s Development Agency[6]
Cultural responsiveness and inclusion
It is important to provide supervision that is culturally responsive and inclusive. This means:
- respecting cultural identity and beliefs
- recognising and supporting cultural strengths as part of supervision
- valuing diversity
- understanding the intersecting aspects of a person’s identity
- adopting an empowering rather than paternalistic approach
- providing a space that is trauma- and violence-informed, strengths-based and person-centred[7]
- considering individual needs, for example, ensuring that supervision is accessible for a person with a disability
- exploring responses to client identities, challenging assumptions and considering how these identities can offer strength, connection and resistance, in addition to exploring their experiences of discrimination.
References
[1] International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), What does intersectional feminism actually mean? IWDA website, 2018, accessed 27 February 2023.
[2] Domestic Violence Victoria , Code of practice: principles and standards for specialist family violence services for victim-survivors, Safe and Equal website, 2nd edn, 2020, accessed 6 October 2023.
[3] C Hanisch, ‘The personal is political’, in S Firestone and A Koedt (eds), Notes from the second year: women’s liberation, Radical feminism, New York, 1970.
[4] CA Falender and EP Shafranske, ‘Psycho-therapy based supervision models in an emerging competency-based era: a commentary’, Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 2010, 47(1): 45–50, doi: 10.1037/a0018873.
[5] A Morrison, The personal is the professional, Hook & Eye website, 2010, accessed 27 February 2023.
[6] IWDA, 3 ways to be an intersectional feminist ally, IWDA website, 2017, accessed 27 February 2023.
[7] Family Safety Victoria, Everybody matters: inclusion and equity statement, Victorian Government website, 2018, accessed 21 August 2023.
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