Inclusion Revolution

10Get to the Heart of Accountability

I have come to loathe the term “cancel culture,” the practice of publicly shaming another person or institution for behavior deemed unacceptable. The term has been weaponized to derail conversations about accountability and consequences, which is really what we should be focusing on. Professor Loretta Ross, among others, has long been asking, “What if instead of calling people out, we call them in?” (Bennett 2020). She explains that being called out for accidentally misgendering a classmate, as it happened to her, or for admitting that they have long admired a cultural icon who is now under a different light, alienates people and makes them afraid of speaking up. Without psychological safety, we can't get to a place of understanding.

Instead she advocates for “calling in” with grace and patience, in a private message or simply taking a breath before commenting, screenshotting, or demanding “one do better” without explaining how. When we call someone in for hurtful words or actions, we acknowledge that we all make mistakes. We help someone discover that their behavior is harmful and how to change it. The courageous and hard conversations, compassion, and context she calls for are deeply needed in our society and in our workplaces.

Let me be clear, there are many people in power who have gotten used to getting away with horrible and often criminal behavior for so long that any semblance of consequences is seen as unfair, when in fact it's ...