Unapologetically Ourselves: Reframing Diversity for Women of Diverse Backgrounds through Shifting Mindsets
/By Jaehee Lee
Long before cultural or racial diversity was even a topic of discussion, women in general were denied entry into the legal profession for decades. In fact, Shakespeare’s The Tempest features a female legal advocate well before such a figure existed in Australia’s legal reality.[1] This alone illustrates the long and arduous journey toward the acceptance of women in law.
While gender equality in the Australian legal profession has improved over time, women now make up 54% of the legal workforce and even outnumber men in PLT accreditation at a remarkable 64.1% compared to 35.6%,[2] these numbers often mask a deeper issue: the lack of representation of women from diverse cultural backgrounds. The statistics reveal a confronting truth: [3]
In 2018, only 1.2% of practising certificate holders in New South Wales identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (0.7% across Australia).
Less than 2% of barristers identify as Asian Australian.
While 25% of law graduates identify as being from an Asian background, this drops dramatically to under 8% at partner level, 0.6% at the bar, and 0.8% in the judiciary.
To address these disparities, various initiatives - such as workshops, training events, sponsorship programs and targeted mentoring – aim to empower women from diverse backgrounds in law. for diverse women in law and their empowerment to tackle with these statistics. The inaugural DWL Advocacy Program, for example, has received positive reviews over the years for its stimulating legal challenges and its promotion of both skill development and diversity.[4]
Yet beneath all these initiatives lies something even more essential: a mindset shift.
Here are some stories worth sharing, from disheartening experiences to empowering insights from senior associate Nada Gu, offering guidance on how we can truly move forward.
What Being a Woman from a Diverse Background Symbolises
Being a woman from a diverse background has often meant having to behave in a certain way just to fit into a community or broader society. Sadly, the legal profession is no exception.
Lawyer Marie Iskander shared that women from diverse backgrounds are often expected to act ‘white and male’ in order to be perceived as a lawyer. She recalled times – often as the only person from a diverse ethnic or cultural background on her legal team – when this pressure led to feelings of imposter syndrome: am I really meant to be here? Throughout her legal journey, she was repeatedly told by people in senior positions not to appear “too emotional” and to avoid raising her voice too much.[5]
Meanwhile, another associate from a diverse background, Mei Gong, shared a contrasting but equally limiting experience of how she was looked down on for being a “quiet technician” instead of the “expressive leader” characteristic others expected.[6]
As such, this leaves women from diverse backgrounds in a difficult position. They are often asked not to stand out, but when conforming to the quiet, reserved image society often expects from them, they are overlooked for leadership roles and career advancement.
Story of Nada Gu: Breaking Barriers Through Self-Recognition and Awareness
Nada Gu, senior associate
The challenges discussed above were no exception for Nada Gu, a senior associate currently working at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. For many women from Asian backgrounds, there is an unspoken expectation to remain humble about their achievements. However, this humility can sometimes lead to their true value being overlooked, ultimately fostering a harmful mindset of self-doubt.
For Nada, the key to overcoming these barriers lies in breaking the label of being merely “a woman in a challenging Western-centric, male-dominated field.” Doing so requires more than just about acknowledging the discrimination faced by women from diverse backgrounds - it calls for actively dismantling those barriers through action, confidence and most importantly, a deep recognition of who we are as individuals.
“Aim to be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday…regardless of gender or race.”
Why feel the need to prove that despite being women from diverse backgrounds, they are just as capable as anyone else? Nada encourages them to hold their heads high and speak up with confidence, instead of attempting to constantly justify their worth to others by automatically bending to others’ schedules at the cost of one’s own well-being. Set clear boundaries when needed. Recognise your strengths and use THAT as leverage to build self-worth and confidence throughout your work.
“There’s no such thing as ‘normal’ – we each have our own journey, our own unique self.”
As such, Nada firmly rejects the idea that the discriminatory experiences faced by women from diverse backgrounds should be treated as a “normalised stigma.” She believes that no one’s path should be measured against others. Each of us is unique, moving at our own pace, and it’s vital for women from diverse backgrounds to understand and embrace that truth.
Ultimately, Nada urges women to not conform, but reconnect with their own values, voice and boundaries. Real empowerment begins when we see and value ourselves first, before seeking validation from others.
Your comfort and self-awareness should be your threshold, not the expectations of others.
Final words
“Woman.” “Diverse background.”
These are simply characteristics, not labels that should disadvantage anyone.
The overarching message from Nada Gu, along with the experiences of many other lawyers mentioned in this blog, highlights the importance of embracing your identity. Use your background not as a burden to explain away, but as an asset to thrive in the workforce. Most importantly, do this not to meet anyone else’s standards, but for your own growth, confidence and self-worth.
Of course, these may sound like easy words. But as we all know, what sounds easy is not always easy in practice. Balancing university life, work pressures, friendships and social expectations can leave people physically and mentally overwhelmed. In the chaos, we often forget something that should be simple: taking care and staying connected to ourselves.
Therefore, underrepresentation of women from diverse backgrounds is not just the result of a lack of external opportunity or persistent societal stigma. Yes, those factors are real…but the ultimate problem relies on the internal doubts women carry when they forget to value themselves.
So let’s ensure that respect is present everywhere, in every moment, for ourselves and for one another. Only then can true diversity and wellbeing thrive, not just within the challenging, complex world of the legal profession, but across our entire global community.
References
[1] Speech from 7th Annual Janet Irwin Women’s Dinner ‘Women in the Law – The Past, Present and the Future’ (Supreme Court Library Queensland Archive, 4 November 1999) https://archive.sclqld.org.au/judgepub/mcmurdo041199.htm
[2] College of Law, ‘The State of Gender Equality in the Australian Legal Profession’ (College of Law, 20 November 2022) https://www.collaw.edu.au/community/news/gender-inequality-in-legal-profession
[3] Diverse Women in Law, ‘Our Mission’ https://www.diversewomeninlaw.com.au/mission
[4] Rose Khalilizade and Nina Prica, ‘The Diverse Women in Law advocacy program’ (The Journal of the NSW Bar Association, 2022) https://bn.nswbar.asn.au/article/the-diverse-women-in-law-advocacy-program
[5] Marie Iskander, ‘Embracing our differences: Women of colour in the legal profession’ (LawyersWeekly, 5 July 2021) https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/31972-embracing-our-differences-women-of-colour-in-the-legal-profession
[6] Grace Robbie, ‘Young lawyers with diverse backgrounds should use it as a ‘superpower’ not ‘kryptonite’’ (LawyersWeekly, 22 November 2024) https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/41036-young-lawyers-with-diverse-backgrounds-should-use-it-as-a-superpower-not-kryptonite
