Tuesday, June 30, 2026

You Don’t Have to Fit the Label

Belonging isn’t about fitting a stereotype. It’s about being respected, supported, and valued for who you are.

By Nnedi Agu, Representative, Winnipeg Member Centre

Sometimes, I joke that I have a Gen Z birth year and millennial habits.

I was born in the late ’90s, so I’m grouped in with Gen Z. But if I’m being honest, I don’t always connect with that label.

A lot of the slang, trends, and even the way people talk about Gen Z just doesn’t feel like me. In a lot of ways, I relate more to millennials.

That got me thinking about work.

Sometimes, the workplace can feel the same way. You can show up, do your job, and still feel like you don’t quite fit the mould. Maybe it’s culture. Maybe it’s the way people communicate. Maybe it feels like everyone else got the memo on how to fit in, while you’re still trying to find your place.

But not fitting neatly into a label doesn’t mean you don’t belong.

Workplaces are made up of different people, different personalities, and different ways of doing things. That isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can make a team stronger. We don’t all have to think the same, talk the same, or work the same way to deserve respect.

Some people find connection quickly. Others take more time. And for some, belonging doesn’t mean fitting in with everyone. It may simply mean feeling respected, understood, and comfortable enough to be yourself. Sometimes, belonging looks like connecting with one or two people instead of the whole room, and that’s okay too.

For me, the reminder is simple. I don’t need to force myself into a box just because someone thinks I should fit there. I can be myself, keep learning, and keep growing.

That doesn’t mean ignoring problems at work or pretending everything is fine. It means knowing your value, speaking up when something isn’t right, and remembering that belonging should not depend on how well you match a stereotype.

That’s one of the strengths of being in a union. Union solidarity isn’t about everyone being the same. It’s about making sure every worker is respected, supported, and heard.

You don’t have to fit the label to belong.

You Don’t Have to Fit the Label

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