What term refers to a highly visible individual from a minority group who faces increased pressure due to stereotypes?

The term that describes a highly visible individual from a minority group who faces increased pressure due to stereotypes is tokenism. This concept highlights the situation where a minority individual is included in a group or organization primarily to give the appearance of diversity, often resulting in disproportionate scrutiny and pressure to conform to expectations. This increased visibility can lead to a heightened burden of representing their entire group, confronting stereotypes, and encountering unique challenges that their majority counterparts may not experience.

In organizational settings, tokenism can manifest in various ways, including being singled out for attention or facing implicit biases based on one's minority status. The visibility of a token individual often does not translate into genuine inclusion or equity, which can exacerbate feelings of isolation or stress.

The other terms do not effectively capture this specific dynamic. Minority employee networks refer to groups that foster support and connection among minority employees; opt-ins and opt-outs generally pertain to choices regarding participation in programs or activities; while the glass ceiling metaphorically represents the unseen barriers to advancement faced by women and minorities in careers. None of these concepts specifically encapsulates the unique pressures and visibility issues faced by individuals represented by the term tokenism.