Jeremy Stockdale
Smashing The Patriarchy | Gender Equity | Inclusive Leadership | CEO & Founder of Ylead
United Kingdom
There are many changes, most of which are positive. One thing I do observe is that women are now being more vocal and taking intentional action around the many inequities they face at work, home and in society. I’m also seeing more men stepping forward as allies, keen to learn and support where they can. The counter to this is that I also feel there is a growing backlash from those that want to oppose this progress, either through fear, ignorance or apathy. We therefore, need to work harder to engage more people in the positive benefits for everyone from Gender Equity.
We need to engage more men! Overcoming outdated gender stereotypes, societal norms and behaviours that hold us back is work that requires a collective effort. We need to make initiatives and narratives around Gender Equity more inclusive and less divisive. If we accept the reality – that needs to change – that men still hold a disproportionate number of the positions of power and influence, then we also have to accept that unless we involve them in a way that engages their heads, hearts and guts, progress will continue to be slow.
I believe that Allyship is the missing ingredient from Gender Equity – and I’m not just talking about Male Allyship. Gender Allyship requires, men, women and people of all genders working together to create better mutual understanding of the challenges that different people face and the ways we can collectively overcome them. I know it works. I’ve seen it work. Gender Allyship is the potential catalyst for systemic change.
