You’re Not the Underdog Anymore: Building Systems That Make Truth-to-Power Possible
Photo of Sally: a short queen, but no underdog.
Power is on my mind.
It’s one of the concepts that continues to surface in my training and practice in consent-based work and intimacy direction, and it’s one that I am acutely aware of in life.
A reminder here that power is intersectional. Our identities shape how we hold power and how it’s received, and we cannot ignore the imbalances that affect historically marginalized groups.
I’ve written about the obliviousness of power and the false underdog narrative that permeates many arts spaces.
If you work in the arts, if you have a voice, if you get booked, you are no longer the underdog. And that realization can feel uncomfortable. It can unsettle the identity and narrative you’ve built for yourself.
Many of us experience imposter syndrome, and that can make it hard to square our self-perception with the power we actually hold.
There can also be a kind of cognitive dissonance at play: we equate power with ease, and because our work is difficult and underfunded, it feels impossible that we have any power at all.
But those things are not mutually exclusive. You can hold power and still struggle. You can have authority and still feel uncertain. Power doesn’t erase effort or hardship; it shifts what responsibility looks like.
Types of Power
Systems of power were a major focus in my training with IDC (Intimacy Directors & Coordinators). Their foundational reference outlining the types of power is “The Bases of Social Power” by French and Raven. I offer their summary here, as it might be helpful.
Legitimate power, which I often call “title power”, comes from a formal role or position within a hierarchy: producer, director, etc.
Reward power is the ability to grant benefits, incentives, or recognition to others.
Coercive power is its mirror, the ability to withhold, punish, or threaten negative consequences.
Expert power comes from specialized skill, knowledge, or competence.
Referent power comes from admiration, trust, and personal connection.
Informational power comes from control or access to key information, narratives, or framing.
In my experience, referent and informational power are the most prevalent forms of power in our community. They’re also the ones people are least likely to recognize in themselves.
In small or interconnected arts environments, relationships, trust, and access to information can hold more influence than titles or budgets.
Practicing Power with Care
If you hold power and you believe in fostering better work environments, you have to create and maintain systems that allow for truth to power.
Normalize feedback, don’t dramatize it.
Make feedback routine and low-stakes.
Ask for it.
Model it.
A simple “How did that land?” or “What would make that easier next time?” goes a long way.
Build structures that separate safety from hierarchy.
Create channels where honesty doesn’t have to move through the chain of command. Use anonymous feedback forms or regular third-party facilitation.
A note on “company advocates.”
In theatre settings, the role of company advocate has become increasingly popular. A company advocate is a peer-designated point person for performers to bring concerns to, who then relays them to title power.
While the intention behind it is good, I am wary of the structure.
First off, the position is unpaid.
Next, this role often results in trauma dumping on one individual who may not have the skill set or resources to manage that kind of emotional labour. It can also unintentionally undermine the established systems that should already exist: the work of the stage manager or the necessity of having HR.
Truth-to-power should be systematized, not individualized. An anonymous feedback mechanism or a clear, transparent reporting structure requires far less emotional labour than assigning unpaid, untrained care work to a fellow cast member.
Be transparent around decision-making.
One of the quietest forms of coercive power is opacity. Make your reasoning visible. When people can see how and why a decision was made, even if they disagree, they become part of the process.
Collaborate and listen.
If you’re leading a project, invite meaningful collaboration early in the process.
Give credit to your collaborators publicly.
When someone tells you their experience, listen without defending.
Treat care as infrastructure.
Care is a system. Your policies, timelines, budgets, and boundaries reflect your values.
How we build systems of care is how we build trust.