'Where Do You Live?': Exploring the Impact of Geographical Bias
'Where Do You Live?': Exploring the Impact of Geographical Bias
I recently sat on a Zoom call, waiting for external partners to join, when the inevitable happened:
“What parts of DC is everyone joining us from?”
The question filled the awkward meeting space as some quickly chimed in with their neighborhoods and cross streets, while others were more hesitant to share their location across the Potomac River.
Normally, I’d classify this question as part of the innocent trio of introductory inquisitions that allow us to get to know one another better:
What’s your name?
Where are you from?
What do you do for work?
These seemingly harmless questions do serve a purpose for building deeper connections (or filling time on work meetings) but it is important to understand that geographical biases have harmful implications for many facets of our lives.
So what exactly is geographical bias?
Geographical bias is a form of prejudice (in favor of or against) someone based on their location at any point in time. In other words, it is the stigma you carry on your back from the neighborhood you come from and the price tag that labels that place.
These types of prejudices can manifest hyper-locally in both rural towns and dense cities. They are carried across state lines, into regions, and even internationally.
Here in Washington, DC, a distance of 13 miles and a jump across the river impacts your unemployment chances by 22%. Unemployment isn’t the only aspect of life altered by location or geographic bias. Thanks to decades-old policies like redlining, the place you live can affect your school dropout rate, obesity and smoking percentage, and access to healthcare and doctors. Since these factors both compact and build on each issue, they result in an average life expectancy of 72 years. That’s 15 years less than other zip codes in Washington, D.C. based on location.
And when unacknowledged and accounted for, these biases have monumental repercussions.
Take the recent travel ban on the Middle Eastern countries — following the “We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet” directive.
Vetting someone’s safety solely based on their geographic location—their home—exemplifies how these biases further divide and separate us. And based on the daily conversations we surround ourselves with, these prejudices have the opportunity to deeply engrain themselves in our minds.
We carry these biases around with us and they affect how we interact with team members, who we choose for projects, promotions, hiring, etc.
When we make the intentional step to remove harmful and biased language and conversations (around location in this case) that have the potential to isolate candidates or coworkers from the larger landscape, we’re sending a message of genuine inclusivity.
We are recognizing differences between colleagues with the intent to learn from each other and understand the strengths that come with each lived experience.
And we are acknowledging how these differences contribute to what and how individuals show up to the workplace, and ultimately, bolster the strength of the organization.
So, next time you’re looking to be intentional with your language in the workspace — consider removing “Where Do You Live?” from your small talk.
Author: Anna-Jane has a passion for people, which has guided her through her university, across the globe, and into a role in the nonprofit sector.
Outside of her workday, she spends her time advocating for local police reform in her city, cycling and learning about the complexities of public transportation systems.
Connect with the author Anna-Jane Tabler: Author Bio | Medium | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
