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The 29%: Male Allies Championing Women
This should go without saying, but at 3%, we don’t hate men. In fact, we love them. Picking up where our friends at Refinery29 left off, we’re featuring male allies who have actively championed women in various aspects of their life.
Alexis Ohanian
Founder
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Allison Robinson, the CEO of The Mom Project, is one of those women. She founded this company because more than 40% of highly skilled women leave the workforce once they’re moms—a huge problem for American companies desperate for qualified, diverse employees—and a massive business opportunity for Allison to create a marketplace for these talented professionals to find well-paid short-term gigs with the Fortune 500. What she's done with this company in just a few years and her most recent + ambitious Women's Work Initiative are just some of what inspires me about her and about what led us at Initialized to invest in her.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Listening more. I struggle with that one a lot. I'm used to going into rooms and being the authority, which is a problem when there are voices - male and female - that you’re not hearing. There are other small things you can do to support the women in your organizations that will add up in a big way, like championing their good ideas in meetings, or if you're a dad, even just talking about your kids more at work will normalize being a parent and help destigmatize being a working mom.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
In my business as a venture capitalist, we will be more successful if we have less blind spots. We need diverse people with diverse networks and perspectives to help make us and our portfolio companies great. The benefits are real – for example, a 2015 McKinsey study found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
Antonio Lucio
Global Chief Marketing Officer
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Alma Har’el: Alma has been a visionary in advancing representation for women in the advertising industry. With the 2016 launch of her game-changing initiative, Free the Bid, and now her newly expanded service, Free the Work, she’s truly leading the way in driving more tangible opportunity for women in all aspects of advertising and filmmaking – not to mention the fact that she is a creative powerhouse! Facebook is proud to be a founding member of Free the Work, helping to expand talent discovery into international markets.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
I believe that the only way to become better allies for women is to push for holistic and systemic change in how we hire, support and manage our teams. As a leader, it is a responsibility to hold ourselves accountable for making these areas of focus real organizational priorities across the board.
It is our mission at Facebook to have the most diverse teams in the industry not only in terms of gender, but in age, race, culture and ethnicity. Internally, I am proud to say that I am leading the most diverse marketing leadership team in my career, of which 60% are women. And externally, we tasked our agency partners to develop programs that increase representation of women and other underrepresented minorities. We’ve also encouraged our teams to work with third party programs such as 4A’s MAIP program and Free the Work to further develop platforms that are truly inclusive and diverse.
Ultimately, I realized over my career that it's not enough to focus on diversity in general. True progress only comes when people in positions of influence apply sensitivity to each and every underrepresented group, and that includes women.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
Our world is increasingly diverse, and we have not done enough to ensure that our workplaces are a true reflection of the multicultural tapestry that our society is today. This includes not having enough women in leadership positions. My goal has always been to build brands that stand the test of time. In order to do this, we need diverse teams. Research shows that diverse teams translate into better ideas and better results, which drives more value for our customers and helps us play a more authentic and meaningful role in their lives.
Bing Chen
Co-founder
Goldhouse
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Maggie Hsu. Maggie is a principal co-founder of Gold House, a soon-to-be-mother, runs several successful side hustles (including a high-end dating service)—all on top of her day job, of course. I’m exhausted just writing it; I can’t imagine living it. I admire Maggie because of her consistent fortitude: she wields a level of distilled, strategic clarity that I’ve never witnessed from anyone at any level; is no-nonsense; always over delivers; and is here for the right reasons. We often quip that we wish we could clone Maggie as The Business Partner for everything we create. It’s hard to find the twofer of great work-good person in someone; we’re beyond to have it in Mags.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Listen to what’s needed and trust it—then be relentlessly consistent in enabling it. I’m not perfect nor as consistent as I’d like to be here (no one is). Just because you’ve announced a gender leadership quota doesn’t mean you’ll achieve it. Just because you achieve gender parity doesn’t mean she’s at the table. Just because she’s at the table doesn’t mean she’s heard. Just because she’s heard doesn’t mean she’s taken her seriously. Just because she’s credible doesn’t mean her position’s integrated. Just because she’s integrated doesn’t mean she’s a decision-maker. Just because she signs the checks doesn’t mean she’s paid equally. Just because she’s paid properly doesn’t mean she gets promoted. Just because she’s in the C-Suite doesn’t mean she’s on the Board. Just because she’s on the Board doesn’t mean there are 10 others just like her that could replace her if she experiences the slightest misstep. There aren’t—at least not yet. And even if there are, don’t assume that the ladder you’ve erected that she’s ascended is how she sees success nor what she wants in the first place. That’s why the first question we ask of all of our employees—across our commercial and social impact work—is: what’s your dream and how can this be a vehicle to get there faster?
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
It’s personal. I was raised by an effective single mother who “came from nothing” and became among the highest-paid women in the South—as a woman of color and first-generation immigrant. My default is women can trump men because mine was able to earn as much as him, manage the home more than him, and in our case, outlive him. Who gave you birth? Yeah, the person who you won’t let in the door. Second, this is about principles. Equal representation is an existential right. Darwinian law says that if you’re here, you deserve to be here. We know that otherwise exists only because of systematic blockades. All roses can bloom, but none do in oblivion.
Diversity of opinion is critical—else, we perpetuate the same methodologies in the same echo chambers, generating crushing stagnation. There are pounds of research that corroborate this: new things are never made from the same things.
There are at least 63 genders and expressions now. We need to show and enable a world that’s diverse—not just for any gender to flourish but because it gives permission to all Others to flourish (race, orientation, faith, socioeconomic status, etc.).
Byron Hurt
Documentary Film Maker and Founding Member
#AskMoreOfHim Movement
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
I’m inspired by Ava DuVernay because of what she has been able to accomplish in the filmmaking world. Ava’s films give voice to Black people and their stories, and she is creating so many opportunities for other women of color in her field. She is a tremendous force in Hollywood, and although I am a documentary filmmaker, I am very much inspired by her work, and her leadership.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Men can become better allies by not taking up too much space in the room when we are working with women. We can become better listeners and follow the lead of women, as opposed to always feeling the need to center ourselves and our own work.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
We, men, have held leadership positions for generations. It’s really time to embrace the leadership abilities of women who are knowledgeable, capable, and qualified to lead in various spaces: political, social, educational and cultural. Women bring to the table skillsets, knowledge, and experience equal to men, and we should embrace all that women have to offer across multiple fields and areas of expertise.
Gary Barker
Founder
Promundo
Co-founder
Mentors in Violence Prevention
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Monica Ramirez. Her advocacy for the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and her letter in TIME magazine to the entertainment industry is the essence of intersectional feminism. I had the chance to be on a panel with her recently and found her energy and passion for justice amazing and inspiring. And her drive for feminism and women's rights to work for the least empowered women is the direction we must go.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
We recently surveyed men in the US and found that most say they are doing all they can for gender equality in the workplace, but fewer than half of women surveyed in the same study said they thought men in their workplaces were doing all they can for gender equality. We need men to show and live our support for wage parity, equitable hiring practices, paid and equal parental leave for all caregivers, sexual harassment policies, and to speak up every day as bystanders, when we see abuse and harassment.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
I run a social change organization that works to change narratives about manhood, to engage men for gender equality and to promote healthy masculinities. All workplaces need equality because it's the right thing to do. Period. In our workplace we need women in equal voices of authority, in shared decision-making and as role models for young women and young men of what gender equality looks like in action because it's what we do as an organization. It's imperative that we walk the talk and that gender equality is lived not only in what we disseminate and promote in the outside world but at all levels of our organization.
Jackson Katz
Co-founder
Mentors in Violence Prevention
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
La Shonda Coleman's work and leadership is very inspiring. She's an associate dean of student affairs at a big west coast university who also conducts trainings and delivers speeches about gender violence prevention to students and professionals, with particular attention to intersections of gender and race. She's able to communicate deep empathy with victims and survivors of all genders, but also to connect with men whom she challenges to do more and go further in changing the peer norms that underlie sexual harassment in the workplace, and many other forms of abusive behavior.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Men in positions of leadership across a range of sectors -- education, sports, human services, labor, business, media, politics, religion -- need ongoing training to help them think about how they can be effective in their sphere of influence at supporting gender equality and preventing all forms of gender-based harassment, abuse and violence (and all forms of abuse, period). A lot of men are supportive of those goals but don't quite know how to go about advancing them. Obviously they can learn a lot from women in this regard. But they also need to learn from, and be mentored by, other men.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
Women's leadership -- across ethnicity, race, and class -- has been utterly transforming the world for the better, especially over the past half-century. Women and girls have benefitted from this, of course, but so have men and boys. Women's voices and perspectives -- and their presence in the decision-making process -- are absolutely critical in the prevention of all forms of harassment, abuse and violence that is the focus of my work.
Jeff Kosseff
Assistant Professor
U.S. Naval Academy
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
From 2010-11, I clerked for Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Appointed to the court in 1993, Judge Brinkema has presided over countless high-profile cases, including that of Zacarias Moussaoui, who conspired in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Judge Brinkema is not only a brilliant judge and a kind mentor, but she sets a high bar for herself and her clerks. Ever since I clerked for her, both as a practicing lawyer and law professor, I strive to meet the high standards that she expects, in terms of work quality, professionalism, and caring about the greater good.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Men need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for sexist institutions. I work in the field of cybersecurity, and the conferences often have all-male panels. This exclusionary behavior harms individuals, sets a terrible example for the next generation of professionals, and deters people from working in our field. When I am invited to speak on panels, I immediately tell them that I will not speak on an all-male panel. Usually, the organizers agree with me and seek diversity. Occasionally, they give me a weak excuse for why they cannot find a female panelist. I attempt to solve this by suggesting names of women. If they are not interested in my suggestions, I politely decline.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
Cybersecurity suffers from a dire workforce shortage. We need to attract hundreds of thousands of people to solve this workforce gap. It makes absolutely no sense to exclude more than half the population from our field. Having women in leadership, and in prime speaking roles at conferences, helps to make the field more welcoming to young women.
Jeffery Tobias Halter
President
YWomen
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
There are so many women doing inspiring work to change the status quo. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is raising the bar on building balanced businesses and lives. The weekly tips Karen Catlin compiles and disseminates to make workplaces more inclusive as part of @betterallies are both actionable and easy to share. Gabrielle Clairborne is leading the way to foster transgender and non-binary inclusion in the workplace. I also admire the work being done to advance and develop authentic women leaders, and Kathy Caprino’s “finding brave” message is powerful for all leaders. And my former colleague from The Coca-Cola Company, Monica Mccoy is blazing trails to support and advance women of color.
Personally, I’ve been inspired by the blunt honesty of Kristen Pressner and her “Are you biased? I am.” TEDx Talk. She’s the Global Head of Human Resources for Roche Diagnostics, and in her talk, she bravely shares her bias and “aha” moment in a way that encourages each of us to do better. Most importantly, she provides a #FlipItToTestIt tool to help us uncover our own hidden biases. Kristen is a role model for other senior leaders. Real sustainable change takes vulnerability, honesty and introspection. Each of us, on a daily basis, needs to slow down and evaluate our actions, interactions and work product to discover where we can be more aware and inclusive, or to fine-tune our actions to be an ally or take a leadership role as an advocate. More often than not, we need to #FlipItToTestIt to see our own intrinsic biases at work.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
There are so many ways to approach this question, from tactical ideas to broader techniques. Let’s start with the big picture. Best-practice research shows that visible, vocal senior leadership is essential to driving organizational change -- most notably, advancing women. When a senior leader truly owns the initiative and drives it through the organization using a strategic process that includes consistent and frequent communication, metrics and measurements, the desired outcomes happen. That’s great, but we’re talking about a small percentage of people in those roles. What about male middle managers? What can they do to be allies, advocates and agents of change?
No matter what their role or title, anyone can take action on a daily basis to create organizational change by Listening, Learning, Leading and Having the Will. And, they can rally others to do the same. I’ve found that these four tips help men to become leaders and allies in their spheres of influence.
Listen. This is an often overlooked step. Leaders want to lead and take action. However, listening is a step that is critical to connecting to root-cause issues in your organization. It is incumbent on senior leaders to personally listen first before taking action. That said, employees at any level in the company can listen to hear new perspectives and understand the experiences of others before taking action.
Learn. The next action is to learn how to articulate the “why” of the change you seek to make. This must be done at all functional levels of the organization. It’s not enough for senior leaders to have a conceptual understanding. What is needed is a Locally Relevant Business Case that answers the questions posed by middle management, “How does this connect to me and my work?” “What do I need to do on a daily/weekly basis?” “How am I being held accountable?” and more importantly, “What’s in it for me?”
Lead. Leadership starts at the top of organizations. In studying the best practices of companies that are making headway advancing women, visible, vocal leadership is always a critical characteristic. People in your organization look to the senior leadership team to set priorities. Is that commitment visible in the next level of management? While senior leadership plays a critical role, middle managers own the day-to-day experience and operations of your organization. Have they internalized the desired priorities, behaviors and goals? How are their actions supporting the targets being measured? Have the Will to Change Willingness to change means leaders must examine their company’s results, acknowledge they are not acceptable and choose to do something about it. This is when you need to Listen, Learn, Lead … and Have the Will to drive change. Openly, publicly committing to change: This is what Having the Will to Change looks like.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
Advancing women is a business imperative. Smart companies understand the unique value that women have, both in the marketplace as purchasers, decision-makers and economic drivers along with the intrinsic talent, insight, and approach they provide within organizations as leaders. I come from a sales background, and I’ve seen and experienced product marketing mistakes because the voice of the customer, often a woman, was missing, not only in the product development process but throughout the marketing and sales process. Without a balanced workforce and leadership team, your organization is competing in the marketplace with one arm tied behind its back.
It’s almost 2020, and it’s beyond time to address, solve and reinvent workplace culture to create a level playing field for all employees to thrive and collaborate in order to achieve organizational goals and impact the bottom line.
Paul Feig
Director
Powderkeg
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Two women, actually. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and Nicole Riegel are both first time writer/directors with whom my company recently worked. Both worked under small budgets, tight schedules and difficult conditions to make their first feature films and both knocked it out of the park. Through it all they were paragons of strength and confidence, proving to everyone around them that they are ready for much bigger things. (Jenn’s movie “Someone Great” is playing on Netflix now and Nicole’s film “Holler” will be hitting the festival circuit next year.)
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
We simply have to help. We have to use whatever power we have to create opportunities for women in whatever business we have influence. It’s only through getting women into the actual jobs and positions they deserve that we can truly affect long-lasting change.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
Because we need their voices and their takes on the world in order for our work to be honest and relevant. We’ve seen the world through such a white male perspective in our industry for so long that we’re not honestly representing and portraying life around us without a true female perspective. If the stories we tell and the society we show doesn’t match the reality of the world we live in then we are failing our audiences and creating irrelevant entertainment.
Simon Ragoonanan
Blogger
Man Vs. Pink
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Miki Chojnacka is Chief Creative Officer at Hopster (which makes her my boss). She is using her position to affect positive change in kids’ media by commissioning more representative shows, as well as embracing flexible working enabling a much better work life balance for working parents.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
Men should stop arguing with women. Just stop. Or at least, whenever you might start one think “Do I really need to have this argument?” or “Do I really need to tell her why I think she’s wrong?” You may even realise you’re the one in the wrong.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
In so many aspects of life, the male perspective is seen as the default perspective - whether it’s how many cubicles to have in bathroom facilities, to the types of films considered ‘classics’ (men love gangster movies). We would all benefit from moving away from the male way being treated as the right way - even if we don’t realise it’s a gendered perspective.
Wade Davis
LGBTQIA Inclusion Consultant
NFL
Who is a woman in your life whose work/leadership is inspiring you right now?
Professor Brittney Cooper and her book Eloquent Rage is changing how I think about rage, as well as how I think about how to move from being an ally to acting in solidarity with women.
As a 21st century leader, what are some actions men can take to be better allies?
One of the most important actions men can take is understanding that allyship means that you as a man benefit from helping to end gender based discrimination, and that we are not saving women.
Next, we have to listen and read incessantly about the experiences of women, both locally and globally, and learn to situate ourselves within the experience to grow our empathic muscles. We must not become static in the listening phase and we must decide what we are willing to give up in order to end gender based discrimination.
I’m intentionally not being hyper specific on exact actions because I would be letting me off the hook by naming those actions. That’s the emotional labor men must do and if they choose to not do it — then that inaction says it all.
Why is changing the ratio of women in leadership important to you and to your business?
First and foremost because women are just as competent and capable as men are and organizations need their intellect to grow and build the future.
Two, if women aren’t in positions of power - we will continue to build products that effectively discriminate towards 51 percent of all humans globally.
Three, when women are in positions of power - they care about more than money — they focus on the climate, communities, education and equity, and that allows more human beings the opportunity to contribute to society.
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