Professionalism, traditionally defined as the possession of specialized knowledge, strong character, and the ability to meet professional demands (Pratt et al., 2006; Roberts, 2005), increasingly reflects norms that reinforce existing power structures and perpetuate workplace inequities by privileging White and male employees (Adams et al., 2000; Ferguson & Dougherty, 2022; Marshall, 1939; Lewis, 2013). In an effort to more precisely identify and disrupt these norms, this project addresses two key questions: (1) How is professionalism defined in contemporary workplaces, particularly regarding behaviors considered professional or unprofessional? and (2) To what extent is professionalism implicitly associated with White-masculine prototypes?
