𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲?

This is a question I get asked all the time. Below is an excerpt from a podcast interview with Amelia Veale.

We can't run 'Women in xxx' sessions and expect men to be excited about it. You know, Women in leadership, Women in Finance, Women in Engineering, etc.

The title alone is not very enticing or inviting to men. This is not to say that men are not invited - they almost always are - but do they feel welcome and inspired to attend? Rarely.

I have noticed a pattern with my gender equality work. When women are lacking equal representation in a company, there needs to be a forum to build up their presence, their impact and their voice. 'Women in' sessions are a terrific way to get this off the ground. They have their place and it is a crucial one.

At some point however, there comes a time in an organisation's equality journey where there is sufficient interest in gender issues (for both men and women... because, well... 'gender' ;) ) that forums to address gender imbalances need a more inclusive title and appeal.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤?

What have you noticed in the organisations you've worked for? Do men attend the 'Women in' sessions? Do you have other ways of making gender equity sessions more inclusive and equally represented?

Check the excerpt here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro52nTqRaJs&t=2s