Gender equity is a human issue that impacts all of us, regardless of gender expression. In an organization, everybody benefits from an inclusive culture where we can bring our whole selves to work without any negative impacts on our sense of belonging. And studies show that businesses with higher levels of gender equity outperform their peers.
While International Women's Day is important to recognize the achievements of women, raise awareness about gender inequality and ultimately promote gender equity, these cannot be achieved in a single day. It requires continuous effort throughout the year and men have a crucial role to play as allies in working towards these goals. In this blog, male leaders provide insights as to how they live and role model being an ally and supporter of those who identify as women every day.
Being an active ally
There is no such thing as a passive ally. Allyship is always active, vocal, intentional, mindful and consistent. Show that you can be trusted and are invested in gender equity:
- Acknowledge, respect and genuinely value the experiences of women and their willingness to share it with you.
- Seek out opportunities to hear perspectives outside of your own and listen to women’s ideas and concerns without translating these perspectives through a man’s lens.
- Challenge the status quo and use your voice and platforms to push towards a more equitable organization.
- Advocate for others in spaces where they don’t have representation.
- Stand by those who are excluded, overlooked or mistreated, even if it puts you at risk of a professional setback.
Taking responsibility
To be effective allies, men must acknowledge and model the following principles.
- Take responsibility for your own education on how gender bias manifests and affects those around you.
- Cultivate this knowledge by educating other men about gender bias and allyship, as well. Be consistent and make a daily commitment to support initiatives to remove bias and advance equality.
- Pay attention in situations where gender bias might be at play, speak up when any degree of gender bias materializes and check in with those who may be affected by it.
- Role model empathy, sincerity, humility and a genuine desire to listen and learn from their experiences.
What leaders can do
An inclusive culture is necessary to accelerate gender equity. By promoting inclusivity, leaders are setting clear expectations for equality and holding everyone accountable in reducing biases and discrimination. For this, they must examine some key areas, including:
