What It Really Costs to Navigate the World as a Marginalized Woman

In this solo episode, Faith Clarke breaks down the invisible labor so many of us carry—especially women with marginalized identities—and how it shapes our leadership, health, and humanity. From the exhausting calculations we make to stay safe, to the unspoken emotional labor of managing other people’s comfort, Faith exposes the quiet toll this labor takes on our bodies and businesses.

She offers clear, actionable practices for naming, tracking, and shifting these patterns—both within ourselves and our organizations. This is an episode for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to soften the blow, hold the bag, or clean up the mess… and for those of us building feminist businesses that promise to do better.

Discussed in this episode:

• The invisible labor required by people with marginalized identities to simply exist in and navigate the world
• Why women often "hold the bag" in group dynamics—and how that connects to patriarchy, power, and perceived belonging
• The unspoken calculations women make to avoid seeming “difficult” or “aggressive” at work
• How safety, identity, and marginalization intersect in workplace dynamics
• The emotional labor of navigating men’s feelings and the constant threat of backlash when setting boundaries
• The “man vs. bear” thought experiment and what it reveals about how women assess risk in everyday interactions
• Ongoing systemic violence like Canada’s “birth alert” policy and how Indigenous women are criminalized during childbirth
• How Black women’s emotions are policed and misinterpreted as aggression
• The physical, emotional, and mental health toll of invisible labor—especially on women ages 25–55
• The compounding effects of time poverty, caregiving demands, and self-neglect on women’s health
• The trap of drawing boundaries but still being asked to "soften the blow" for those with power
• Four practices to begin addressing invisible labor in your life and business.

Resources Mentioned:

• “Man vs. Bear” essay
• Canada’s “birth alert” policy
• Jay Asooli

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