Stop Trying to Fix Women

In the pursuit of gender equality, we as a society have grappled with various approaches aimed at addressing biases against women. While efforts to empower women and promote gender diversity are commendable, I believe that the focus shouldn't solely be on "improving" or “fixing” women or resorting to positive discrimination. Instead, fostering an environment of genuine equality and inclusivity that benefits everyone.

We’re doing just fine, thanks

Historically, discussions around gender equality often revolved around "fixing" women. Whether it's through mentorship programs, leadership training, or initiatives aimed at boosting women's confidence, the underlying assumption has been that women need to change to thrive in male-dominated environments.

This approach not only overlooks the systemic barriers and biases that perpetuate gender inequality but also seems to forget all the amazing things that powerful women have achieved over the years and will continue to go on to achieve. The Ready-Now Leaders report from the Conference Board shows that organisations with at least 30% women in leadership roles are 12x more likely to be in the top 20% for financial performance.

Suggesting that women need "fixing" places this burden of change heavily on women, ignoring the need for broader societal and organisational transformation. True gender equality isn't about women conforming to existing norms; it's about challenging those norms and creating inclusive spaces where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive.

I don’t believe in positive discrimination

Positive discrimination, or affirmative action, involves giving preferential treatment to individuals from disadvantaged groups, including women, to address historical inequalities. While well-intentioned, this approach can have unintended consequences and perpetuate stereotypes. By positively discriminating for an individual or group, you are negatively discriminating against someone else. ?

There’s a fine line between accurate representation and positive discrimination. Of course it’s important for everyone to have accurate representation in all fields – after all, I’m a strong believer in ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ – but I believe positive discrimination can undermine the achievements and qualifications of women by implying that they need special treatment to succeed. It can also breed resentment among other groups who may feel unfairly disadvantaged, and focusing solely on numerical representation without addressing underlying biases and systemic barriers may lead to tokenism rather than meaningful, long-lasting change.

Fix yourself first

Instead of trying to "fix" women or resorting to positive discrimination, we should focus on creating environments where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed based on their skills, merits, and contributions. This requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both individual and systemic barriers to gender equality:

Challenging Gender Stereotypes: We must challenge harmful stereotypes and biases that limit opportunities for women in various fields. This involves promoting diverse representations, challenging traditional gender roles, and fostering inclusive cultures where everyone feels valued and respected.

Creating Inclusive Policies and Practices: Organisations need to implement policies and practices that promote gender equality, including equitable hiring and promotion processes, flexible work arrangements, and parental leave policies that support all genders.

Investing in Education and Training: Providing access to quality education and training opportunities is essential in not only empowering females, but helping all of your colleagues to become the best version of themselves.

Fostering Allyship and Advocacy: We all have a crucial role to play as allies in the fight for gender equality. By actively challenging sexism and advocating for inclusive practices, we can all help to create environments where everyone can thrive.

Measuring Progress and Accountability: Organisations should regularly assess their progress towards gender equality goals, collect data on representation and pay equity, and hold themselves accountable for creating inclusive workplaces.

Gender shouldn’t be a defining characteristic

We should be beyond using gender to define people, but if we do it should be more inclusive than just male and female.

I think it’s important to note that a lot of the things we speak about all the time as ‘female only problems’, aren’t that at all. Anyone can get imposter syndrome, suffer from negative stereotypes, and have a whole host of issues they face on a daily basis too. We all need role models, adequate training, and opportunities in order to succeed, regardless of gender.

Genuine equality and inclusivity

Gender equality is not just a women's issue; it's a fundamental human right and a necessary condition for a fair society. By moving away from positive discrimination and efforts to "fix" women, and instead focusing on creating genuine equality and inclusivity, we can build a world where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of gender. Let's commit to challenging stereotypes, dismantling barriers, and creating better workplaces for our teams.

Focus on fixing your own prejudices and workplace culture before trying to fix amazing women that are doing just fine as they are.