Let’s shift the focus from just external behaviours to include internal attitudes, assumptions, emotions, and thought patterns — which is exactly what the Six Stages Framework (SSF) invites people to reflect on.

This post weaves in intersectionality, the psychology behind bias, and real-world relevance — while remaining accessible and action-oriented:

Challenging Everyday Biases by Helping to Adjust Our Equity Lenses 👓

Bias doesn’t always look like hate.
Sometimes it sounds like silence.
Or feels like discomfort.
Or hides behind “good intentions.”

Every day, in boardrooms, classrooms, staff rooms and social spaces — subtle (and not so subtle) forms of bias, resistance, and exclusion are at play.

They may be rooted in racism, but also in ableism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ageism, transphobia, or neuro-normativity.

Too often, we treat them as isolated issues — but they’re all connected by power, fear, and learned behaviour.

🔍 The Six Stages Framework (SSF) helps us understand these patterns — especially when people operate along the negative axis.

This isn’t just about what people do.

It’s about how they think, feel, and protect their comfort in the face of difference, disruption, or accountability.

💬 Examples of everyday biases:
– A colleague who "doesn’t see disability" and avoids conversations about reasonable adjustments.
– A manager who gets defensive when asked why women aren’t progressing in leadership roles.
– A teacher who says, “I treat everyone the same,” but never questions whose history gets taught.
– A friend who supports Pride publicly, but mocks a colleague’s gender identity in private.
– A DEI lead who celebrates ‘diversity days’ but silences staff who raise structural concerns.

These responses may fall into one of the negative stages of the SSF:

• Passive Avoidance
• Defensiveness
• Denial or Dismissal
• Tokenism
• Active Complicity
• Deliberate Oppression

But here’s the powerful part:
💡 People aren’t fixed in these stages.

With the right support — grounded in empathy, challenge, and reflection — they can move toward curiosity, growth, and meaningful change.

Ask yourself:
👉 Do you know someone stuck in these patterns?
👉 What early experiences or exposures might have shaped their worldview?
👉 How can you support them to adjust their equity lens without shaming or shutting them down?

This work is about compassionate accountability.

It’s about challenging everyday biases — not just in others, but in ourselves.
And it’s about creating cultures where inclusion isn’t performative… it’s embodied.

👇 Share your reflections below. What biases have you had to unlearn?

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