Positionality

“Our actions as occupational therapists have relational-ethical implications within the patient-therapist relationship. One of the ways to bring these to light is to become aware and acknowledge our positionality. Positionality is a concept that has been around for a while (Harley et al., 2002), but that has never been part of a shared vocabulary among our community of practice. Positionality categorizes individuals. It shapes your identity with regard to your class, gender, race or any social construct that determines if you are on the margin or at the center of the society. A very obvious and publicized example is the fact that women in Quebec were not allowed to vote because of their gender, until they received full suffrage in 1940. A more modern Canadian example is that Indigenous people, because of their status, still do not benefit from an equal access to healthcare services as compared to non-Indigenous people (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). Our multiple positionalities are intersectional and “possess rank, have value, and are constructed hierarchically, particularly those that are visible and discernible” (Robinson, 1999). But more importantly, positionality contributes to highlighting how one’s identity impacts your understanding and perspective of the context, while providing room for significant bias.”

Chapdelaine, S. (2020). GUESTEDITORIAL My Experience at the Somatosensory Rehabilitation Center: Power and Positionality, Where do I Stand? Somatosens Pain Rehab 17(3), 79-85. Available (02/23/2024): https://www.somatosenspainrehab.com/articles/my-experience-at-the-somatosensory-rehabilitation-center-power-and-positionality-where-do-i-stand