This paper, developed by the FAIR SHARE Action Circle, presents questions questions on the themes ofPurpose, People, Power and Process for individual and collective self-reflection, learning and persistence in the journey to shift the leadership paradigm in the sector. And womens AFL: when I watch a game on TV, it brings tears to my eyes to see young boys wanting autographs from female players: it is just not that hard to make that change happen! 
0000010672 00000 n
We're all in such different working circumstances, increasingly isolated by working from home where our work and home lives have bled into one huge mass.
leadership gap gender
Despite being from a low-income environment, I still had an abundance of First World privileges, and I have no doubt that I took that privilege into my early practice of feminism. It's not just a nice to have, which I think is is often seen as so we talk about self care, as well as cultures of care. This moves beyond gender into the sphere of power and privilege. Certainly, there are many sections of the Australian business community where womens leadership is starting to be embraced but, frankly, apart from some notable examples, there is little Feminist Leadership. But I think it can also send a really clear message to staff that they are trusted and it's acknowledged that they're working under difficult circumstances. In what we might call the big business sector, there doesnt seem a lot of openness to challenging the status quo, of moving away from management and leadership through a male gaze. I spend a lot of my time now working in the screen sector and of course the initial momentum for the MeToo and TimesUp campaigns came out of the US screen sector, and was quickly picked up on by a lot of our sisters here in Australia and around the world. Secondly, it would be all women who've worked in the UK women sector.
3865036.
But first, lets clarify what I think of as Feminist Leadership, because I think there is indeed a difference between Feminist Leadership, and leadership by women.
We talk of getting policy settings right for innovation and entrepreneurship, but often we are doing so through a male or unreconstructed gaze, with our focus on which company is going to be the next technology unicorn, ignoring that some of the biggest innovation is going on at the grassroots level. For example, how might we be able to recognise how power is projected and distributed in a room?
And just acknowledging I think that we're facing really difficult times and being really open about that - not expecting that we're going to be able to continue on as business as usual.If someone listening feels like their organisation could benefit from adopting feminist leadership principles in the workplace, how could they encourage senior management to invest in a course like yours?So I think it's about an organisation understanding if and what the benefits for them could be.
And that's how this programme came about. For example, are minoritized women such as black or disabled women able to use power In the same way as a white woman? Read her brilliant speech, below. We do recognise it's not for everyone, but I think for any business that wants to make a positive impact in the world it's a no brainer. Natalie and Leila doing their thing on Zoom!
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It does matter who commissions, writes, directs, produces and sells our screen products. academia feminist sexism surviving strategies leadership
Do they have capacity to make decisions and to use power equally?
HtVK:)|D9 eydQrA>dXjJFc]7q" t5._^+6N0I0fO|c)7v6gX-RxO8rg8^nMqf~^qDj/jxf&5HG^9"kE%Kx[c~N+jG\No6AkAsUmQQMg`zd/!olUcr@5q43d=dC?s[BPw=bR+y57\tG? 84KB2 &U$m'P}3tE@ =kpvV3GFq7oXIqun:B^a5-bBKAJezCCqJw"]-^xf!cuc$X That brings with it like lots of questions around trust and things like that.
It is also about subverting what we would normally see as traditional masculine notions of leadership so that we can change the way power is exercised. Ez@F&:V^s,3c(-_`! Many of those criticisms were unfair, and were part of the conservative backlash that tried to sully the entire notion of feminism.
APcgCuRZ We want to move slightly away from that individualistic view and responsibility towards self care towards to something that we all collectively within an organisation are responsible for and that the organisation itself invests in a way that really means something rather than as in a tokenistic way. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There are lots of things that are unique to women that bring value into leadership roles. With these case studies from organisations who have made the FAIR SHARE Commitment, we hope to inspire and encourage others to start or persevere in their journey towards gender equity and Feminist Leadership. It saddens me that women who have benefited from the work of those who came before them feel they cant embrace the ongoing work of driving towards gender equality, or use the phrase feminist, which is simply about advocating for women to be treated as equal human beings.
feminist Just to be clear, these women may be doing great jobs in their chosen fields, they may be great people: all I am pointing out is that their leadership may not be transformative in any way. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities. The way power is projected certainly plays a role in perpetuating gender inequalities from white privilege to the objectification of women. And when we look at the basic data, we know that we can be a better society.
0000029782 00000 n 0000011660 00000 n Is it any wonder we have multilayered unconscious bias when we only tell half of our stories. During the workshop we explored this paradigm, using the lens of power and authority in our professional roles, which made for some illuminating insights. 0000008801 00000 n There is no doubt that some of the women involved in professional organisations are more in the mindset of Women Leaders than Feminist Leaders, that they are thinking about how to benefit from the current power structures as opposed to transforming them, but I like to think they are the minority. trailer <<2573B646FFBE4B02B8C00F88B313AE45>]/Prev 208770>> startxref 0 %%EOF 60 0 obj <>stream I'd advise looking at your existing organisational values (if you have them) and think about whether they they do align with feminist values. Finally, for those organisations that are trying to make a social and positive change in the world, I think feminist leadership practice can help you really live and breathe the change you're trying to make.
Male dominated cultures will struggle to change, even when there is objective data that diversity in voices and approach leads to different and better decision-making and outcomes. It's talking about those things as well as and what about the black disabled women in our in our workforce - how is she represented and what space does she have to have her voice heard? And they could be huge. But our new project and course is really sort of a combination of of that work and some frustrations which led to this new idea being born. Using the Grubb Schools definitions we distinguished Authority (relating to role, system and task) from Power (relating to the person). A BIG thank you to Natalie for joining us on the podcast and uncovering the benefits of introducing feminist leadership principles in the workplace. If women who were trained to understand rights, to advocate for others, if they were still being discriminated against within their own profession, then what hope was there for anyone else? Can you explain a little more around these topics? Feminist Leadership is a concept developed and practised mainly by womens movements in the Global South.
Perhaps it's implementing an organisation policy of 80% working hours where you don't need to explain yourself - everyone is expected to work 80% of their waking hours and if you work more brilliant, if you don't, that's fine too.
Read her brilliant speech, below. The second wave feminists voiced their opinions and fought for our right to have choice, to live our lives as we see fit, and I am grateful for that privilege. I talked before about the values of an organisation, so making an organisation more values driven and really living those values.
For todays discussion, I wanted to reflect on some different examples of Feminist Leadership that I have seen throughout my career, which has covered various sectors, and comment on what might be coming next. Check out resources (including recordings) from the free, eight-week webinar series on Feminist Leadership we organised, with change-makers from the sector leading conversations on Accountability, Collective Leadership and more. Organisations like IWDA, led by women, working with women, have been changing the world we live in every single day for many, many years. Even if mainstream media has been a bit slow to catch on, the fact is that we are surrounded by incredible examples of Feminist Leadership, none better than IWDA. Firstly, it's important to develop a meaningful culture. transnational feminist rhetorics gendered leadership isbn daughters activism destiny pedagogy cultural studies politics iron ladies global Established in 1999 and based in Brighton UK, we are proud to work with over 900 global clients including 20 FTSE 100.
0000007756 00000 n }$uk&lAA-\y&/!fgZU6@Q_wGiEa)$qG)FT\>4 (:R~!,m bvZF/G#X+?,(uAo,'zm_{T,f:#{4~ sY[kR;ZT!1j{ag9Yp^5(2e'$E#$tBO.2qRhzQzuY{qr("`\}XuW w endstream endobj 39 0 obj <>stream On International Womens Day 2018. I was lucky enough to meet inspiring Feminist Leaders in my early 20s.
jZBz] We are all about helping to make your workday more inspiring and productive, so take the tour and discover our range of resources. We do separately want to really recognise and acknowledge the value and the attributes that women bring into leadership. I don't agree with everything she says, by any means but Nicola Sturgeon I think has shown some real feminist leadership through the compassionate way that she's communicated to the Scottish people and the world about COVID - a really stark contrast in my opinion to how our leaders in Westminster have spoken about it.
I joined the Victorian Womens Electoral Lobby, meeting Val Byth, Meredith Doig and others, women who taught me how to organise, to campaign, to articulate policy arguments.
That's what prompted the development of We Are Feminist Leaders because we were really disappointed that the leadership models that we were being taught didn't have any sort of power analysis. It becomes a bit meaningless if companies don't really understand what self care means and why it's needed as a really critical part of their business; as something that will improve staff retention, improve performance and attract the right type of staff.
Lockdown is a very strange time and alongside the rest of the UK, I'm a bit bored! Think about what that does to the perception of a young child.women can be my heroes. Working in a feminist way and using feminist principles in my career has been part of my work for a long time, both within the organisations that I've been part of and since I've worked independently as a consultant.
0000017042 00000 n But: we also know that having that work understood, acknowledged, appreciated, or amplified by mainstream organisations is an ongoing challenge. At IWDA, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. Natalie started her career in campaigning for NUS and Oxfam. And most important of all, how do we utilise projected power to serve the purpose of our work, missions and organisations? Self-care has become commercialised and commodified, which inevitably lends itself to a very individualistic view towards it - ie. A BIG thank you to Natalie for joining us on the podcast and uncovering the benefits of introducing feminist leadership principles in the workplace.
It is important to continue to point out that movements to end discrimination, harassment and bullying are about creating equality to benefit all of society, not just a privileged few. Youve spoken before about the difference between feminine leadership and feminist leadership and the representation of women in leadership. But we dont have the time to wait for conservative men or women to get comfortable. In celebration of International Womens Day, I was recently invited by UN Women to lead a UN workshop on the topic of Feminist Leadership. Self care is often seen as something that we can buy. 0000096841 00000 n something an individual is responsible for. But getting women into leadership is only one way that real change happens.
If they don't, perhaps it's not a good fit for you. On the other hand, women leaders, quite simply, are leaders who happen to be women; but if they dont apply a feminist lens to their leadership, if they dont recognise issues of inequality that are inherent within their own universe, if they dont use their leadership to try and achieve change: then they are just leaders who reinforce the status quo. Below are some resources to get you started.
How would you define the word 'feminist'? HK#7>E]!>3s!'AbSb~Q9f=?zK}*S ~3VLe We talk about our target audience as emerging leaders. Many of them are also terrified of providing information to the government due to past experience in their home country, so applying for an ABN, a tax file number, filing BAS statements: these are all scary things for many women. But there are still not enough of us at enough tables, there is still a significant wage gap, there are still huge challenges for people women and men - wanting to combine parenthood and career, and we are a poorer society for it. She is a huge thinker on feminist leadership and academic, if you're interested in getting into the detail of feminist leadership I do really encourage you to look her up. feminist beyonce femaleness femininity apologetic chosen respected longer want 30 31 As Ginger Rogers said, she did everything that Fred Astaire did but she did it backwards and wearing high heels: but who is remembered as the genius of song and dance?? The organisation provides business education, business coaching, microfinance, marketing and sales support and technology access for a period of up to 3 years. 0000004712 00000 n anu A society that marginalises and discriminates against half of its population cannot be a good society.
My background is in working on gender and women's rights projects which began through volunteering in a rape crisis centre, many moons ago. You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button.
Firstly, think carefully about about what you're hoping to achieve.
So for us, that's about the positive and inclusive use of power. It is an ongoing process of learning and unlearning, both individually and together with others. Many of these women are on benefits, and while they are keen to take control of their own destiny, stand on their own two feet and run their own business, they are also terrified of losing benefits if the business revenue doesnt arrive.
I think other leaders have been much more compassionate and careful about the way they've communicated about that. As I moved into my career, the question of different motivations behind activism started to arise. What is the worst that could happen? Why is this? feminist beasley isbn 0000013632 00000 n Feminist leaders, whether they are women or men, have a conscious recognition of the problems and challenges caused by gender inequality, and they are constantly striving to address this inequality through both what they do and how they do it.
So by saying you should be caring for yourself, what it means is that a company is kind of off the hook a little bit with their staff. In reaction, we have come to see the dynamic of how power is projected as negative and something we should do without. Welcome, Natalie!
We believe that in addition to ensuring equity in leadership opportunities, social impact organisations can benefit tremendously improving their organisational culture as well as the quality of their external programmes by exploring what Feminist Leadership can mean for them in practice. Blog: Lets be bold on Feminist Leadership. So in addition to monitoring the proportion of women leaders in social impact leadership, we advocate for Feminist Leadership. feminist theories We often talk about power or something that isn't always that positive. So if that chimes with what you're trying to achieve already and you're really willing to look quite deep into the structures and culture of your organisation and commit to making change, I think feminist leadership could be something that you would find useful. But if they do, maybe feminist leadership is something that could really help you embed and live your values. And you know, I think it's quite shocking that it took until February for our Prime Minister to directly address parents - 10 months after it started. Importantly, is every woman able to do those things equally. Second wave feminism from the 70s of which women like me were the beneficiaries- was often criticised for being about white middle class women, for leaving behind indigenous women, women of colour and those with disability or of other cultures. So we're addressing those power dynamics, talking about things like intersectionality - a concept which helps define how people who might experience multiple forms of oppression can be supported. What are you hoping to get out of it? This then not only places it in this really interesting position of being seen as only accessible by a privileged group of people that can afford to 'do self care', but it also lends itself to a very individualistic view towards it. Around the world, the screen sector is made up mostly of all of those behind the scenes people who are critical to making any film or TV project actually happen. Is this way of working something that you were doing before in your consultancy role before starting We Are Feminists Leaders, or is this something that has grown from your previous experiences?
Feminist leadership is a much more political approach and women's leadership - what I just described is something different. What we talk about is doing things like assessing what happens once women are at the table.
nh; )7+ Deanne Weir is a long term friend and supporter of IWDA. What does accountability genuinely look like in your organisation, both for individuals and for groups of people in the organisation? %PDF-1.7 % Feminist Leadership is about speaking up and continually advocating for change. schoolhouse leadership
12-week course through We Are Feminist Leaders to guide individuals to become stronger feminist leaders. Web design, developed by Suzaku Productions, Bangkok, Web design, developed by Suzaku Productions, Bangkok. So it's not just about thinking how do people or staff who are disabled need to be supported? This was important for me, because it helped me to understand the notion of intersectionality, a word that is being bandied around a lot. 0000024137 00000 n To achieve this we talk a lot about the need for reflection, continuous learning and being really being mindful of the power that we hold as individuals. We are an established agile software company and Digital Asset Management (DAM) specialist. I started to see a lot less Feminist Leadership when I became much more immersed in the media and business sectors. If an organisation is interested in becoming more open to the principles of feminist leadership, what are the first steps they could take? Feminist leadership really is all about examining how power operates within an organisation. But the speech that struck me the most was one that pointed out that it was important not to miss the point of who the MeToo movement was really for.
redeeming racist leadership isbn But its meaningless if a company doesnt understand what self care is and supports staff to engage in it, as it will always be seen as a nice to have rather than a critical part of the business.
Deanne spoke to a room of IWDAs networks about feminist leadership and how it can drive change for everyone. Finding policy settings that can support these women to support themselves is critical.
Most importantly, Feminist Leadership doesnt have a fixed definition or step-by-step guide. Those women who came before us ensured that we have the right to vote, the right to education, the right to control our reproductive destiny, and without those achievements, we would not even be at the table. &Be9_jM $IWEk{2 T})a# 83P`H29C#JPD(VKTI As leaders, we have a responsibility to build those cultures and promote care both of ourselves by setting an example and to each other so that we can promote well being. Or how do people who are from black or minoritized communities need to be supported? For certain, when we bring all our power to bear on our authority-in-role, we mobilise our leadership to its maximum potential.
We have two mailing lists,one in English and one in German. We say that you cant be what you cant see, and we need to see and hear from female characters in all of their complexity. TQK{7A4zD=z"UQ[e_izPTg(CkQNwpA+7}# 4l@)t(RBX}Vyzgr+H'e6x#kXDz^0L)_~`d>V5h0` 9 endstream endobj 38 0 obj <>stream
feminist
I was watching the Golden Globe Awards telecast which was a very big moment for the MeToo movement, with some incredible speeches and calls to arms, including the now infamous Oprah for President speech. If you're not able to analyse these distinctions, then again, it's a bit of a sticking plaster but it's not achieving real change. blake
Yet, by denying the strength of projected power on ourselves, we might be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. 0000002588 00000 n What we hope to do with the course is provide an opportunity to reflect on on what that leadership culture is in your organisation and whether or not you might want to do things a little bit differently later. 0000005731 00000 n We shouldnt have to work harder than men just to prove ourselves, there shouldnt be unconscious bias suggesting a man will do a better job simply because of his gender, but it is still there and if we deny it, we are just kidding ourselves. I've seen examples of staff being given an extra amount in their paycheck every month to spend on a well being activity, whatever that might be, again, this aligns with the trust element because you're giving people the choice to invest in something that's appropriate to their needs, not necessarily something that your Chief Exec thinks is appropriate. H[6 c@'B2%T:~?Hi4-=?eE"Gay8sF6y0BuL(,&=nG)n6cNkIH)E Q2Y%I[Yr"UY50#wHau'|3jf30. They are not the same thing, but they are definitely not mutually exclusive.
So we decided to do it ourselves. Deanne Weir is a long term friend and supporter of IWDA.
We believe that self care and cultures of care is really vital to feminist leadership. What is Feminist Leadership, you ask?
They showed me how important it was to not be a bystander, to call out inequalities that exist, to identify lack of opportunities, to do what I could to help create paths to equality, to empower women to help their own communities and find their own voices. Why is talking about feminism and feminist leadership principles important to you? It's basically women as leaders.
It's a much more intensive journey that really requires a lot of introspection and analysis of how your organisation works. We are talking about full on societal change here, not just creating better career opportunities for a few. feminism rebuilding
And how do we know when it is projected onto us in our roles? 0000105024 00000 n We cannot face 21st century technological and societal changes with a 20th century mindset and 19th century institutions.
I'm a bit of a sea swimmer so I've been doing that through the winter to keep my spirits up. So you know, abuse of power, especially in my world of working in gender based violence, power dynamics and we're seeking ways to dismantle structures of power, often in abusive situations. There's loads! Since then she has been a passionate supporter of women's sector organisations, working as an independent consultant as well as co-founding WAFL in 2020. Importantly, feminist leadership is something that can be practised by anyone, no matter who they are.
They didn't talk about what power is and what opportunities there are to use power really positively. What a fascinating point in history for us to be joining together to celebrate Feminist Leadership and to ask ourselves just what is next: where is this all going? I have been thinking about this a lot in recent months.
We looked at them from both feminine and masculine angles touching upon those parts that made us feel the most uncomfortable. I can think of no better way to celebrate International Womens Day than for us to all walk away from here today with a commitment to take those examples into our own everyday lives, to seize this moment to do whatever we can to push harder for gender equality: I cant wait to see the results., Deanne Weir with IWDA Chair Kirsten Mander and CEO Bettina Baldeschi on IWD 2018.
0000010672 00000 n
We're all in such different working circumstances, increasingly isolated by working from home where our work and home lives have bled into one huge mass. 
leadership gap gender
Despite being from a low-income environment, I still had an abundance of First World privileges, and I have no doubt that I took that privilege into my early practice of feminism. It's not just a nice to have, which I think is is often seen as so we talk about self care, as well as cultures of care. This moves beyond gender into the sphere of power and privilege. Certainly, there are many sections of the Australian business community where womens leadership is starting to be embraced but, frankly, apart from some notable examples, there is little Feminist Leadership. But I think it can also send a really clear message to staff that they are trusted and it's acknowledged that they're working under difficult circumstances. In what we might call the big business sector, there doesnt seem a lot of openness to challenging the status quo, of moving away from management and leadership through a male gaze. I spend a lot of my time now working in the screen sector and of course the initial momentum for the MeToo and TimesUp campaigns came out of the US screen sector, and was quickly picked up on by a lot of our sisters here in Australia and around the world. Secondly, it would be all women who've worked in the UK women sector.
3865036.
But first, lets clarify what I think of as Feminist Leadership, because I think there is indeed a difference between Feminist Leadership, and leadership by women.
We talk of getting policy settings right for innovation and entrepreneurship, but often we are doing so through a male or unreconstructed gaze, with our focus on which company is going to be the next technology unicorn, ignoring that some of the biggest innovation is going on at the grassroots level. For example, how might we be able to recognise how power is projected and distributed in a room?
And just acknowledging I think that we're facing really difficult times and being really open about that - not expecting that we're going to be able to continue on as business as usual.If someone listening feels like their organisation could benefit from adopting feminist leadership principles in the workplace, how could they encourage senior management to invest in a course like yours?So I think it's about an organisation understanding if and what the benefits for them could be.
And that's how this programme came about. For example, are minoritized women such as black or disabled women able to use power In the same way as a white woman? Read her brilliant speech, below. We do recognise it's not for everyone, but I think for any business that wants to make a positive impact in the world it's a no brainer. Natalie and Leila doing their thing on Zoom!
0000003705 00000 n
It does matter who commissions, writes, directs, produces and sells our screen products. academia feminist sexism surviving strategies leadership
Do they have capacity to make decisions and to use power equally?
HtVK:)|D9 eydQrA>dXjJFc]7q" t5._^+6N0I0fO|c)7v6gX-RxO8rg8^nMqf~^qDj/jxf&5HG^9"kE%Kx[c~N+jG\No6AkAsUmQQMg`zd/!olUcr@5q43d=dC?s[BPw=bR+y57\tG? 84KB2 &U$m'P}3tE@ =kpvV3GFq7oXIqun:B^a5-bBKAJezCCqJw"]-^xf!cuc$X That brings with it like lots of questions around trust and things like that.
It is also about subverting what we would normally see as traditional masculine notions of leadership so that we can change the way power is exercised. Ez@F&:V^s,3c(-_`! Many of those criticisms were unfair, and were part of the conservative backlash that tried to sully the entire notion of feminism.
APcgCuRZ We want to move slightly away from that individualistic view and responsibility towards self care towards to something that we all collectively within an organisation are responsible for and that the organisation itself invests in a way that really means something rather than as in a tokenistic way. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There are lots of things that are unique to women that bring value into leadership roles. With these case studies from organisations who have made the FAIR SHARE Commitment, we hope to inspire and encourage others to start or persevere in their journey towards gender equity and Feminist Leadership. It saddens me that women who have benefited from the work of those who came before them feel they cant embrace the ongoing work of driving towards gender equality, or use the phrase feminist, which is simply about advocating for women to be treated as equal human beings.
feminist Just to be clear, these women may be doing great jobs in their chosen fields, they may be great people: all I am pointing out is that their leadership may not be transformative in any way. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities. The way power is projected certainly plays a role in perpetuating gender inequalities from white privilege to the objectification of women. And when we look at the basic data, we know that we can be a better society.
0000029782 00000 n 0000011660 00000 n Is it any wonder we have multilayered unconscious bias when we only tell half of our stories. During the workshop we explored this paradigm, using the lens of power and authority in our professional roles, which made for some illuminating insights. 0000008801 00000 n There is no doubt that some of the women involved in professional organisations are more in the mindset of Women Leaders than Feminist Leaders, that they are thinking about how to benefit from the current power structures as opposed to transforming them, but I like to think they are the minority. trailer <<2573B646FFBE4B02B8C00F88B313AE45>]/Prev 208770>> startxref 0 %%EOF 60 0 obj <>stream I'd advise looking at your existing organisational values (if you have them) and think about whether they they do align with feminist values. Finally, for those organisations that are trying to make a social and positive change in the world, I think feminist leadership practice can help you really live and breathe the change you're trying to make.
Male dominated cultures will struggle to change, even when there is objective data that diversity in voices and approach leads to different and better decision-making and outcomes. It's talking about those things as well as and what about the black disabled women in our in our workforce - how is she represented and what space does she have to have her voice heard? And they could be huge. But our new project and course is really sort of a combination of of that work and some frustrations which led to this new idea being born. Using the Grubb Schools definitions we distinguished Authority (relating to role, system and task) from Power (relating to the person). A BIG thank you to Natalie for joining us on the podcast and uncovering the benefits of introducing feminist leadership principles in the workplace. If women who were trained to understand rights, to advocate for others, if they were still being discriminated against within their own profession, then what hope was there for anyone else? Can you explain a little more around these topics? Feminist Leadership is a concept developed and practised mainly by womens movements in the Global South.
Perhaps it's implementing an organisation policy of 80% working hours where you don't need to explain yourself - everyone is expected to work 80% of their waking hours and if you work more brilliant, if you don't, that's fine too.
Read her brilliant speech, below. The second wave feminists voiced their opinions and fought for our right to have choice, to live our lives as we see fit, and I am grateful for that privilege. I talked before about the values of an organisation, so making an organisation more values driven and really living those values.
For todays discussion, I wanted to reflect on some different examples of Feminist Leadership that I have seen throughout my career, which has covered various sectors, and comment on what might be coming next. Check out resources (including recordings) from the free, eight-week webinar series on Feminist Leadership we organised, with change-makers from the sector leading conversations on Accountability, Collective Leadership and more. Organisations like IWDA, led by women, working with women, have been changing the world we live in every single day for many, many years. Even if mainstream media has been a bit slow to catch on, the fact is that we are surrounded by incredible examples of Feminist Leadership, none better than IWDA. Firstly, it's important to develop a meaningful culture. transnational feminist rhetorics gendered leadership isbn daughters activism destiny pedagogy cultural studies politics iron ladies global Established in 1999 and based in Brighton UK, we are proud to work with over 900 global clients including 20 FTSE 100.
0000007756 00000 n }$uk&lAA-\y&/!fgZU6@Q_wGiEa)$qG)FT\>4 (:R~!,m bvZF/G#X+?,(uAo,'zm_{T,f:#{4~ sY[kR;ZT!1j{ag9Yp^5(2e'$E#$tBO.2qRhzQzuY{qr("`\}XuW w endstream endobj 39 0 obj <>stream On International Womens Day 2018. I was lucky enough to meet inspiring Feminist Leaders in my early 20s.
jZBz] We are all about helping to make your workday more inspiring and productive, so take the tour and discover our range of resources. We do separately want to really recognise and acknowledge the value and the attributes that women bring into leadership. I don't agree with everything she says, by any means but Nicola Sturgeon I think has shown some real feminist leadership through the compassionate way that she's communicated to the Scottish people and the world about COVID - a really stark contrast in my opinion to how our leaders in Westminster have spoken about it.
I joined the Victorian Womens Electoral Lobby, meeting Val Byth, Meredith Doig and others, women who taught me how to organise, to campaign, to articulate policy arguments.
That's what prompted the development of We Are Feminist Leaders because we were really disappointed that the leadership models that we were being taught didn't have any sort of power analysis. It becomes a bit meaningless if companies don't really understand what self care means and why it's needed as a really critical part of their business; as something that will improve staff retention, improve performance and attract the right type of staff.
Lockdown is a very strange time and alongside the rest of the UK, I'm a bit bored! Think about what that does to the perception of a young child.women can be my heroes. Working in a feminist way and using feminist principles in my career has been part of my work for a long time, both within the organisations that I've been part of and since I've worked independently as a consultant.
0000017042 00000 n But: we also know that having that work understood, acknowledged, appreciated, or amplified by mainstream organisations is an ongoing challenge. At IWDA, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. Natalie started her career in campaigning for NUS and Oxfam. And most important of all, how do we utilise projected power to serve the purpose of our work, missions and organisations? Self-care has become commercialised and commodified, which inevitably lends itself to a very individualistic view towards it - ie. A BIG thank you to Natalie for joining us on the podcast and uncovering the benefits of introducing feminist leadership principles in the workplace.
It is important to continue to point out that movements to end discrimination, harassment and bullying are about creating equality to benefit all of society, not just a privileged few. Youve spoken before about the difference between feminine leadership and feminist leadership and the representation of women in leadership. But we dont have the time to wait for conservative men or women to get comfortable. In celebration of International Womens Day, I was recently invited by UN Women to lead a UN workshop on the topic of Feminist Leadership. Self care is often seen as something that we can buy. 0000096841 00000 n something an individual is responsible for. But getting women into leadership is only one way that real change happens.
If they don't, perhaps it's not a good fit for you. On the other hand, women leaders, quite simply, are leaders who happen to be women; but if they dont apply a feminist lens to their leadership, if they dont recognise issues of inequality that are inherent within their own universe, if they dont use their leadership to try and achieve change: then they are just leaders who reinforce the status quo. Below are some resources to get you started.
How would you define the word 'feminist'? HK#7>E]!>3s!'AbSb~Q9f=?zK}*S ~3VLe We talk about our target audience as emerging leaders. Many of them are also terrified of providing information to the government due to past experience in their home country, so applying for an ABN, a tax file number, filing BAS statements: these are all scary things for many women. But there are still not enough of us at enough tables, there is still a significant wage gap, there are still huge challenges for people women and men - wanting to combine parenthood and career, and we are a poorer society for it. She is a huge thinker on feminist leadership and academic, if you're interested in getting into the detail of feminist leadership I do really encourage you to look her up. feminist beyonce femaleness femininity apologetic chosen respected longer want 30 31 As Ginger Rogers said, she did everything that Fred Astaire did but she did it backwards and wearing high heels: but who is remembered as the genius of song and dance?? The organisation provides business education, business coaching, microfinance, marketing and sales support and technology access for a period of up to 3 years. 0000004712 00000 n anu A society that marginalises and discriminates against half of its population cannot be a good society.
My background is in working on gender and women's rights projects which began through volunteering in a rape crisis centre, many moons ago. You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button.
Firstly, think carefully about about what you're hoping to achieve.
So for us, that's about the positive and inclusive use of power. It is an ongoing process of learning and unlearning, both individually and together with others. Many of these women are on benefits, and while they are keen to take control of their own destiny, stand on their own two feet and run their own business, they are also terrified of losing benefits if the business revenue doesnt arrive.
I think other leaders have been much more compassionate and careful about the way they've communicated about that. As I moved into my career, the question of different motivations behind activism started to arise. What is the worst that could happen? Why is this? feminist beasley isbn 0000013632 00000 n Feminist leaders, whether they are women or men, have a conscious recognition of the problems and challenges caused by gender inequality, and they are constantly striving to address this inequality through both what they do and how they do it.
So by saying you should be caring for yourself, what it means is that a company is kind of off the hook a little bit with their staff. In reaction, we have come to see the dynamic of how power is projected as negative and something we should do without. Welcome, Natalie!
We believe that in addition to ensuring equity in leadership opportunities, social impact organisations can benefit tremendously improving their organisational culture as well as the quality of their external programmes by exploring what Feminist Leadership can mean for them in practice. Blog: Lets be bold on Feminist Leadership. So in addition to monitoring the proportion of women leaders in social impact leadership, we advocate for Feminist Leadership. feminist theories We often talk about power or something that isn't always that positive. So if that chimes with what you're trying to achieve already and you're really willing to look quite deep into the structures and culture of your organisation and commit to making change, I think feminist leadership could be something that you would find useful. But if they do, maybe feminist leadership is something that could really help you embed and live your values. And you know, I think it's quite shocking that it took until February for our Prime Minister to directly address parents - 10 months after it started. Importantly, is every woman able to do those things equally. Second wave feminism from the 70s of which women like me were the beneficiaries- was often criticised for being about white middle class women, for leaving behind indigenous women, women of colour and those with disability or of other cultures. So we're addressing those power dynamics, talking about things like intersectionality - a concept which helps define how people who might experience multiple forms of oppression can be supported. What are you hoping to get out of it? This then not only places it in this really interesting position of being seen as only accessible by a privileged group of people that can afford to 'do self care', but it also lends itself to a very individualistic view towards it. Around the world, the screen sector is made up mostly of all of those behind the scenes people who are critical to making any film or TV project actually happen. Is this way of working something that you were doing before in your consultancy role before starting We Are Feminists Leaders, or is this something that has grown from your previous experiences?
Feminist leadership is a much more political approach and women's leadership - what I just described is something different. What we talk about is doing things like assessing what happens once women are at the table.
nh; )7+ Deanne Weir is a long term friend and supporter of IWDA. What does accountability genuinely look like in your organisation, both for individuals and for groups of people in the organisation? %PDF-1.7 % Feminist Leadership is about speaking up and continually advocating for change. schoolhouse leadership
12-week course through We Are Feminist Leaders to guide individuals to become stronger feminist leaders. Web design, developed by Suzaku Productions, Bangkok, Web design, developed by Suzaku Productions, Bangkok. So it's not just about thinking how do people or staff who are disabled need to be supported? This was important for me, because it helped me to understand the notion of intersectionality, a word that is being bandied around a lot. 0000024137 00000 n To achieve this we talk a lot about the need for reflection, continuous learning and being really being mindful of the power that we hold as individuals. We are an established agile software company and Digital Asset Management (DAM) specialist. I started to see a lot less Feminist Leadership when I became much more immersed in the media and business sectors. If an organisation is interested in becoming more open to the principles of feminist leadership, what are the first steps they could take? Feminist leadership really is all about examining how power operates within an organisation. But the speech that struck me the most was one that pointed out that it was important not to miss the point of who the MeToo movement was really for.
redeeming racist leadership isbn But its meaningless if a company doesnt understand what self care is and supports staff to engage in it, as it will always be seen as a nice to have rather than a critical part of the business.
Deanne spoke to a room of IWDAs networks about feminist leadership and how it can drive change for everyone. Finding policy settings that can support these women to support themselves is critical.
Most importantly, Feminist Leadership doesnt have a fixed definition or step-by-step guide. Those women who came before us ensured that we have the right to vote, the right to education, the right to control our reproductive destiny, and without those achievements, we would not even be at the table. &Be9_jM $IWEk{2 T})a# 83P`H29C#JPD(VKTI As leaders, we have a responsibility to build those cultures and promote care both of ourselves by setting an example and to each other so that we can promote well being. Or how do people who are from black or minoritized communities need to be supported? For certain, when we bring all our power to bear on our authority-in-role, we mobilise our leadership to its maximum potential.
We have two mailing lists,one in English and one in German. We say that you cant be what you cant see, and we need to see and hear from female characters in all of their complexity. TQK{7A4zD=z"UQ[e_izPTg(CkQNwpA+7}# 4l@)t(RBX}Vyzgr+H'e6x#kXDz^0L)_~`d>V5h0` 9 endstream endobj 38 0 obj <>stream
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I was watching the Golden Globe Awards telecast which was a very big moment for the MeToo movement, with some incredible speeches and calls to arms, including the now infamous Oprah for President speech. If you're not able to analyse these distinctions, then again, it's a bit of a sticking plaster but it's not achieving real change. blake
Yet, by denying the strength of projected power on ourselves, we might be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. 0000002588 00000 n What we hope to do with the course is provide an opportunity to reflect on on what that leadership culture is in your organisation and whether or not you might want to do things a little bit differently later. 0000005731 00000 n We shouldnt have to work harder than men just to prove ourselves, there shouldnt be unconscious bias suggesting a man will do a better job simply because of his gender, but it is still there and if we deny it, we are just kidding ourselves. I've seen examples of staff being given an extra amount in their paycheck every month to spend on a well being activity, whatever that might be, again, this aligns with the trust element because you're giving people the choice to invest in something that's appropriate to their needs, not necessarily something that your Chief Exec thinks is appropriate. H[6 c@'B2%T:~?Hi4-=?eE"Gay8sF6y0BuL(,&=nG)n6cNkIH)E Q2Y%I[Yr"UY50#wHau'|3jf30. They are not the same thing, but they are definitely not mutually exclusive.
So we decided to do it ourselves. Deanne Weir is a long term friend and supporter of IWDA.
We believe that self care and cultures of care is really vital to feminist leadership. What is Feminist Leadership, you ask?
They showed me how important it was to not be a bystander, to call out inequalities that exist, to identify lack of opportunities, to do what I could to help create paths to equality, to empower women to help their own communities and find their own voices. Why is talking about feminism and feminist leadership principles important to you? It's basically women as leaders.
It's a much more intensive journey that really requires a lot of introspection and analysis of how your organisation works. We are talking about full on societal change here, not just creating better career opportunities for a few. feminism rebuilding
And how do we know when it is projected onto us in our roles? 0000105024 00000 n We cannot face 21st century technological and societal changes with a 20th century mindset and 19th century institutions.
I'm a bit of a sea swimmer so I've been doing that through the winter to keep my spirits up. So you know, abuse of power, especially in my world of working in gender based violence, power dynamics and we're seeking ways to dismantle structures of power, often in abusive situations. There's loads! Since then she has been a passionate supporter of women's sector organisations, working as an independent consultant as well as co-founding WAFL in 2020. Importantly, feminist leadership is something that can be practised by anyone, no matter who they are.
They didn't talk about what power is and what opportunities there are to use power really positively. What a fascinating point in history for us to be joining together to celebrate Feminist Leadership and to ask ourselves just what is next: where is this all going? I have been thinking about this a lot in recent months.
We looked at them from both feminine and masculine angles touching upon those parts that made us feel the most uncomfortable. I can think of no better way to celebrate International Womens Day than for us to all walk away from here today with a commitment to take those examples into our own everyday lives, to seize this moment to do whatever we can to push harder for gender equality: I cant wait to see the results., Deanne Weir with IWDA Chair Kirsten Mander and CEO Bettina Baldeschi on IWD 2018.