The Observatory: That Won’t Fly
How diversity efforts maintain aviation as a white space
The Observatory is a weekly series that brings together students, alumni, and professionals associated with OSU Battelle Center to write about topics that are relevant to the mission of our center. Our guest writer this week is Shannon McLoughlin Morrison, PhD. She is the Assistant Director, Academics and Program Assessment in the Center for Aviation Studies. Her research is centered on finding ways to better understand the barriers that exist to diversifying the aviation industry. Dr. Morrison also created and manages the Global Conference on Diversity in Aviation, Aerospace, and STEM.
Each February, March, and June, the aviation industry honors its underrepresented professionals. During these months, an overabundance of articles highlights the ‘first African American’ to work for an organization or the first ‘all-female’ or ‘all-LGBTQ’ flight crew. The reality is that despite these programs, the numbers of women, LGBTQIA, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color pursuing careers in aviation remains astonishingly low.
The lack of particular kinds of people who are pursuing a profession in aviation is certainly a problem. Sisters of the Skies estimates that African American women make up less than 1% of all professional pilots across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) latest Civil Airmen Statistics indicate that a little over 4% of Airline Transport Certificate holders — the required certification to fly for a major carrier — are women. The industry response, such as through affinity months to ‘celebrate’ underrepresented groups, is similar to other institutional spaces where certain kinds of people are underrepresented. The problem with diversity practices and efforts in the aviation industry is the overreliance they have on representation as being the means for demonstrating that the industry has somehow become “successful” at being more diverse.
The problem with only celebrating diverse talent during the appropriate month (February, March, and June), is that it does not require the industry to reflect on why it needs diversity and inclusion policies in the first place, or why it has historically maintained itself as a white space. Instead, it relies on its small percentage of diverse individuals to demonstrate that it has tackled the ‘representation problem,’ without considering how its workplace culture is preventing that diverse talent from entering in the first place. Simply hiring more women, people of color, or LGBTQIA professionals does not equate with a just or equitable workplace. Representation matters, but it is only the first step in a process that requires critical reflection and systemic changes.
I believe in the need for representation and the existence of organizations like NGPA, WAI, and OBAP. The support they provide for students and professionals in the field is outstanding. However, they cannot do the work of addressing inequality by themselves. Fundamental, institutional change is required. Celebrating Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Pride Month are not unimportant steps; but they do not critically examine the work environment and policy changes that need to occur which would retain more diverse talent in the industry. As a diversity practitioner, I want to caution us from allowing diversity efforts to become a tool that sustains inequality. We must remain vigilant against the status quo.
The solution requires a little more self-reflection and a willingness to critically examine an industry that has historically not been welcoming to minoritized individuals.
