Why is it important that men also stand up for women’s rights

In conversations about diversity and inclusion, some people still don’t always see the problem. I regularly hear: “Women have equal rights, right?” It’s 2022.” Or: “But I don’t discriminate, you know.” And that solves the problem.

The fact that you do not discriminate or experience discrimination does not mean that it does not happen. A group of people looking around find what they see as normal. As American author and professor Irene Meyer stated:Just as fish do not know they are in the water, people often find it difficult to see and learn about their culture“.

Doing nothing because you yourself will not be disadvantaged or, as far as you know, have not treated people unfairly, will not help improve the situation. With the growing need for inclusive leadership ally In my eyes an indispensable link.

The importance of the alliance

The disadvantaged group should not only fight for the betterment of their situation, As mentioned before. Change only happens if people who are not disadvantaged also contribute.

Frank Fortman, a leadership consultant and coach, shares this view. For example, he confronts me with the facts: For all the time I’m investing in writing and speaking about diversity and inclusion, I can’t invest in data analysis training, for example.

It is not enough just to speak as a leader during Pride Week or on International Women’s Day

The distinguished group has room for further development. This indirectly increases the difference of knowledge and thus the inequality between people, while the initial positions were already unequal.

“Plus, why is 100 percent of the work on diversity and inclusion done by nearly 50 percent of people (women)?” says Fortman.

Outside Research From LeanIn.Org and McKinsey show that women are twice as likely as men to invest time and energy in diversity and inclusion. While this work is not formally rewarded in most organisations. This indicates the importance ship ally.

Constantly helping minorities

What is it ally? We talk about this when individuals who do not belong to the minority group choose to support one or more minority groups. The goal: to eliminate prejudice and discrimination

Wortman believes it is not enough just to speak as a leader during Pride Week or on International Women’s Day. It is important to help the group involved continually, on a daily basis and possibly for years on end.

Voortman is, in my opinion, the textbook example of an actual example ally. He is committed to improving the status of women, for example by calling women to vote in elections. Or by talking to men about the role they can play in promoting equal opportunity for both sexes – and every gender in between.

Allies are about standing down and letting others do the talking, too

Position yourself as ally So it is also about being aware of your own privileges. Then use it to make room for marginalized group(s). Research shows that everyone is naturally attracted to people with whom they have similarities. This naturally ensures that you are more likely to accept something from someone who is more like you.

This means that when a white man talks about the situation that women should get better, there is a greater chance that other white men will get the message than when (only) women do. It may be unfortunate that it is this way, but it is important to be aware of it, so that we can use this knowledge.

Make way for the other

challenge in ally is that it requires one to use one’s privileges to help others. by making space. By not specifying what the group needs, but by asking for it.

An example to illustrate this. Suppose a man and a woman are standing on a platform large enough for two people. A man takes up a lot of space, which a woman cannot reach.

Once this is pointed out, the common response is to apologize and offer help. However, according to Furtmann, what a woman needs is for a man to take a step back and allow her to express her needs on her own.

This goes along with it Article By Manji and O’Coill from 2002. They describe how some NGOs moved from the Western world to African countries. The nonprofit wanted to help liberate those countries by identifying what these countries needed.

Think less of ourselves

Now NGOs can indeed play a role by supporting the liberation of Africa, but not in a paternalistic way. No longer limit someone’s freedom, but learn to share space.

This indirectly means giving up something of yourself. If only that there are more people qualified for something while the number of opportunities remains the same – in the case of the business community.

ally It is about recognizing some injustice, and using one’s privileged position to step aside and let others speak as well. And this is difficult. Because besides the fact that human beings have a natural tendency to associate with like-minded people, many of us are professionally inclined to think highly of ourselves.

Do you want to succeed as a diversity and inclusion organization? Then the latter most often have to be removed.

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