After writing several blog posts on International Women's Day, I decided to stop writing on this topic because I didn't want to be mansplaining women's issues. A conversation I had recently with a female work colleague changed my opinion on this however.
We were talking about a male colleague who had disrespected her and I naively responded, "Really? He was always so nice to me!".
My colleague then looked at me and said, "I know you have experienced prejudice because of your disability but think about it for a second. You are a white middle class man with a disability. He was hardly going to treat you the same way he was going to treat me."
This short conversation I had with her made me stop and think. In 2021, gender stereotypes should not exist yet the conversations that the March 4 Justice and the Me Too movement have sparked show society that we need to work harder for true gender equality.
Men, including myself, need to work with women to make gender parity a reality.
I know for a lot of men this can be difficult because we think we are being fair and equal. Yet even the things we say in the guise of a joke reinforce gender inequality.
The shocking behaviour of members of parliament, people we elect to create and uphold the laws of our country, shows that disrespect towards women goes to the very top of our society.
Prime Minister Morrison's attempts to show that he is trying to fix the problem have been nothing but tone deaf. Even the other day when he declared Marise Payne "Australia's second prime minister, the Prime Minister for Women" he showed that he does not understand the response that Australian women are looking for.
The way I read the situation Australian women are simply asking for a prime minister that will fix gender inequality and the disrespect shown to women by having legitimate conversations with women and taking action based on their lived experience. They don't expect a man to understand their experience because as men we haven't lived it but what they do expect is the chance to be heard and respected and action taken to level the playing field.
I was recently very excited to audition for a TV commercial that would begin the Our Watch campaign, a campaign that encourages respect towards women with the tagline "if you see something, say something".
I wish to apologise profoundly to the colleague I was speaking to the other day for accidentally dismissing her experience and I promise to all women that I will join their campaign for equality leadership and never again downplay her or any woman's lived experience.
Equality Leadership
A queen is the most powerful piece on the chess board.
The king is powerful yes but the queen reigns supreme.
Women and men working together should never be ignored.
Equality of gender, race, and economy will lift the world out of poverty.
They say the barrier for women is a ceiling made of glass;
By now we should work together to smash through and end that farce.
Traditionally in a dance men take the lead but I say we should change it up as circumstances need.
As human beings, no matter the sex, if you cut us we both bleed.
Every human being has to understand the world's mood.
Any disrespect of women whether it be big or small is just plain rude.
Men and women or women and men need to take reality in its grip;
It's time for sexism, sexual abuse, and general disrespect to be defeated with true equality of leadership.
© Chris Van Ingen | 1 April 2021
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