Why Our Voices Aren't Always Heard — Epistemic Injustice
A 60-minute session, held Sunday 31 May 2026, on the times we speak and are not believed, not credited or not really heard: in meetings, at the doctor's, at the dinner table, at the shop counter. Philosophers call it epistemic injustice; everyone else just calls it not being listened to. Is it about who we are, how we say it, or whether we were ever right? Twelve independent cards; open three or four.
The opening question
Where do you feel least listened to: at home, at work, or among friends?
Everyone in the room answers this in one line before any card is opened. Write the answers down; you will come back to them.
The cards
12 ways into the topic
Each card is independent. Your group votes on which to open, and four or five is plenty for an hour. Behind every card sit three prompts, one at a time, that only appear once it is opened on the board. Unopened cards keep for next time.
- 1
When Someone Repeats Your Idea
You suggest something in a meeting. Nobody reacts. Ten minutes later, someone else says the same thing, and everyone loves it.
- 2
When The Doctor Doesn't Believe You
You tell the doctor something hurts. They say it's stress, or tell you to rest. You go home still in pain, wondering if you imagined it.
- 3
Judged By Your English
Two people say the same smart thing. One says it in polished English. The other says it in Hindi, or with mistakes. Guess who the room believes.
- 4
Too Young To Have A Say
You give your view at the dinner table. An uncle laughs and says, “What do you know? You're still a child.” Everyone moves on.
- 5
Listening To Ageing Parents
Your parents are getting older. Now you choose their phone, their doctor and their diet. When they disagree, you say, “Papa, just listen to me.”
- 6
Who Gets A Say At Home
The family is deciding something big: a new flat, a wedding, a loan. One person runs the house every day. But nobody asks what she thinks.
- 7
Getting Upset While Making A Point
You're trying to explain something that really hurt you. Your voice shakes, or gets louder. Someone says, “Calm down, then we'll talk.”
- 8
Asking For The Man Of The House
You're the one buying the car, or calling the plumber. But the salesman keeps talking to your husband, or your father, or your brother.
- 9
Believing Your Kids
Your child says their stomach hurts. It's a school day. It's also the day of a test they've been dreading.
- 10
Being Labelled Dramatic
In every family, someone is “the dramatic one”. When they say they're tired, sick or upset, everyone rolls their eyes. Even when it's real.
- 11
The Quiet One In The Room
In every meeting, the same three people do most of the talking. You have a thought. By the time you're ready to say it, the topic has moved on.
- 12
Being Heard Isn't Being Agreed With
You explain your view carefully. The other person listens, nods, and still disagrees. You leave feeling they never really heard you.
The line to leave with
Whose voice in your life do you only half-listen to, and what might they have been trying to tell you?
More boards,more ways in.
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