Hello everyone and happy Monday!
I hope this newsletter finds you well and ready for the week ahead.
Recently, I had the chance to visit a company and talk about amplifying the female voice in the workplace. It’s honestly such a pinch-me moment when I get to do this. I was obsessed with feminist scholarship and research growing up—so much so that as soon as I hit 18, I got my first tattoo for the cause (despite my mum’s horror).
Walking into the room, I felt a mix of excitement and a bit of nervousness. You never know how these things will go…
Positive Vibes:
The session kicked off with a great vibe. People seemed really engaged and interested. I saw a lot of nodding heads and thoughtful looks. After the session, I received some fantastic feedback. One person even said, "Exceeded my expectations by a long shot. I learnt a lot about mindsets that can develop within the working environment and how to make my female colleagues feel as comfortable as possible." That was so nice to hear!
Most importantly, many of the women who attended felt really heard and valued. One woman shared, "I walked into this call thinking I was very mindful of the female experience! I was wrong and I guess I never really understood or even thought about the small things that happen subliminally and the effect that they have."
Some Pushback:
But not everything was smooth sailing. Some of the feedback I received afterward was pretty surprising and not in a good way. It showed me that there's still a lot of work to do. For example, one male response was, "By doing talks like this you almost suggest there is a problem when there isn't a problem." Another one complained, "We're being penalized for being nice; now we're not even allowed to say anything anymore."
One moment that stuck with me was when a male manager gave feedback that a female manager felt awkward because she thought the session made her look like a complainer.
Lightbulb Moments:
I’m proud to be in a headspace where I can confidently look at this feedback and see it as a sign for further conversations rather than my wrongdoing. I concur with comments such as, “For such an important topic, it would have been great to see more attendance from leaders."
Ultimately, these comments remind us why we need to keep talking about these things. Amplifying one voice doesn’t take away from anyone else; it makes us all better. Promoting equality helps everyone and doesn’t take anything away from anyone's value.
Looking Ahead:
As the session wrapped up, I kept thinking about how much more there is to do. There were both positives and negatives, but it was clear we need to keep pushing for a workplace where everyone’s voice is heard. We have a long way to go, but we can do it together.
Thanks for being part of this journey with me. Let’s keep supporting and amplifying each other’s voices and make our workplace more inclusive for everyone.
Have a nice week!
M x