6 Things You Can Do To Improve Gender Equality Today

I have spent the last week reflecting about gender equality in the United States. Justice Ginsburg was a superhero when it came to women’s rights as well as human rights. She paved the way for many women to become more than what they thought they could be.

When my grandmother was born, women hadn’t yet won the right to vote. In my mother’s generation, women were unable to get credit or buy property. In my formative years, women who wanted to work were looked at as negative influences on their families. We have come a long way. And, yet there’s so much more to be done.

As a woman, I am privileged in that I have enough food to eat, I have credit in my name, I choose to work, I can vote, I can share a dissenting opinion without fear of retaliation. There are clearly many more reasons that I have privilege, including the color of my skin, the region into which I was born. I work hard to be aware of that privilege so that I am more inclusive of those without it.

Rather than expound upon what’s left to be done to create a focused equality for all genders, I have gathered a list of things that can be done right now to help focus the conversation on action:

1. Sponsor each other. I don’t mean to just advocate for another woman. I mean to actively lift her up in conversation, in meetings, in social situations. Something like this: “Did you know that Jenna is amazing at coaching speakers? She’s creative and professional and gets results every time.” When we sponsor another woman, we create space for others and lift them into the spotlight, highlighting accomplishments and skills.
2. Do not keep silent. Scold chauvinists. Do not keep silent when you hear or see action that belittles women – or other people, really. Speak up and don’t ignore public harassment or assault. Your voice is the most powerful tool you have!
3. Vote for women. Find out who the female candidates are, especially from underrepresented communities. Remember that all boats rise with the incoming tide.
4. Provide or fight for equal pay. Support initiatives within your company that promote equal pay for employees with equivalent positions.
5. Find female mentors/leaders. Ensure that some of your role models or mentors are women. There’s a lot you can learn from women in positions of authority. If you want to volunteer for an organization, go for a women’s organization and do your bit to bring about a change to create a more equal world.
6. Support one another. Supporting women and those that empower women, is essential to achieving gender equality. Look for opportunities to raise up others: shop at women-owned businesses, volunteer with community organizations that focus on women, give to a cause that helps women.

Every woman and girl deserves the opportunity to live a life free from violence and discrimination. Change doesn’t happen overnight. I strongly believe that there is strength in numbers. The more we raise our voices and the more we recognize that we have the power to change the narrative, the more we can really make the world the place we want it to be.

Andrea Heuston is the founder and CEO of Artitudes Design in Issaquah, WA (a suburb of Seattle), a 25-year-old experiential design firm that works with Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Starbucks and Expedia to name a few) as well as startups and non-profits. She’s also the host of the Lead Like a Woman podcast where she interviews top women leaders as they share their stories on life and leadership.