28 Quotes by Sara Ahmed

We become a problem when we describe a problem.

It is certainly the case that responsibility for diversity and equality is unevenly distributed. It is also the case that the distribution of this work is political: if diversity and equality work is less valued by organizations, then to become responsible for this work can mean to inhabit institutional spaces that are also less valued.

Indeed so often just talking about sexism as well as racism is heard as damaging the institution. If talking about sexism and racism is heard as damaging institutions, we need to damage institutions.

I think of feminism as poetry; we hear histories in words; we reassemble histories by putting them into words.

The personal is theoretical.

Individuals within the institution must act as if the decision has been made for it to be made. If they do not, it has not. A.

We are dismissed as emotional. It is enough to make you emotional.

The more nots you are, the more committees you might end up on. Not being not can mean being less likely to end up doing this kind of work. Given that diversity work is typically less valued by organizations, then not being not can mean having more time to do more-valued work.

Doing diversity work has taught me that agreeing to something is one of the best ways of stopping something from happening. Agreeing to something is an efficient technique for stopping something because organizations can avoid the costs of disagreement.