Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/632328
We Mean Business > 32 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N W I n t e r 2 0 1 6 d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m Understanding commitments to religion Elana Weinstein, a longtime D&I; prac- titioner and coach, identifes as Jewish. Her identity is more cultural than reli- gious in nature, but that doesn't mean she lacks commitment to her faith. When the High Holidays come around, she has to take time of to attend services. But that's not always easy when working at a large corporation. Weinstein sees these challenges come up for other Jewish female colleagues. "Around holiday time," she says, "it seems that women sometimes bear more of a burden around needing to get home in advance of the holiday to prepare the household." Among their tasks, they must make sure that children, if they have them, have proper clothes and are ready for synagogue. Tere is signifcant preparation involved in Jewish holidays (similar to hosting Tanksgiving dinner), and men, it seems, may not feel this bur- den to the same degree. Tis extends to Sabbath observance, Weinstein explains: "I've worked with men over the years who are more religious and do observe the Sabbath, and they make it clear that their hours are what their hours are . . . it seems that they are more direct about their need to observe and take care of what they need to do." Weinstein recognizes that this observa- tion applies to gender roles more broadly in the workplace. She has noticed how "women often feel that they have to make excuses if they have to leave at a certain time or if they have to take a child to a doctor's appointment, and many men don't exhibit that same pressure to explain." From a personal perspective, when it comes to explaining herself and THINKSTOCKPHOTOS her religious observances to colleagues, Weinstein says she doesn't mind. "I would rather have someone ask the question and have the op- portunity to educate them around it. I feel like if they're asking the question, they want to learn, and they want to understand." Multiple religions in the workplace is a positive Hedieh Fakhriyazdi understands this perspective. She has spent a lot of time explaining herself and her religion, but similarly sees this as a way to educate others about her beliefs and practice. She follows the tenets of the Bahá'í faith, a monotheistic global religion that origi- nated in 19th-century Persia. Drinking is prohibited, which often raises questions from her peers and colleagues. Not only was the drinking culture pervasive in col- lege, but it continues to have a presence during networking events, social gather- ings, and business dinners in corporate environments. Fakhriyazdi attends these functions to show her support (and is often involved in planning them), but it can be uncom- fortable when, inevitably, someone asks her why she's not drinking. "I'm always forthcoming about the fact that it is a reli- gious value for me to not partake in drink- ing, but this can sometimes catch people of guard," says Fakhriyazdi. However, on the whole, she feels she can handle these conversations much more comfort- ably now than during her undergraduate years: "When you're younger, you're less comfortable highlighting how or why you are diferent. As I have gotten older, I feel more confdent in the personal decisions I make that relate back to my religious values. Tat sense of empowerment makes it easier to share why I make cer- tain lifestyle decisions that seem to chal- lenge the status quo." Other aspects of Fakhriyazdi's iden- tity also make her stand out in Corpo- rate America. "Tere is a lot of complex- ity and intersectionality due to my race, my ethnicity, my gender, and my faith, all of which are not the standard," she says. One area where this is especially apparent is when she seeks a mentor or sponsor. "I have never, in a professional setting, had an Iranian Bahá'í woman serve as my mentor," she says. "Of course it would be nice, but frankly, there are so few of us in Corporate America to be- gin with." But that doesn't mean she has been unable to fnd efective mentors and sponsors during her career. As she wisely points out, "Tere is a common assump- tion that mentors should share a similar background as you," she says. "I actually would argue that having a diverse slate of mentors and sponsors to help guide you throughout your career will lead to greater success and opportunities overall." Fakhriyazdi also notes that mentors and sponsors can serve as allies when asking for a religious accommodation. Tere are numerous Bahá'í holy days throughout the year, but the Bahá'í New "I would rather have someone ask the question and have the opportunity to educate them."