How it began
Educators in Santa Rosa, California first celebrated Women’s History Week in March 1978 to increase awareness of women’s contributions to society. Over the next several years, other cities across the country joined Santa Rosa in celebrating Women’s History Week.
After weeks of national protest and promotion, in 1980, U.S. President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 National Women’s History Week, urging everyone in the United States to participate. According to Carter, “too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”
Then
Without question women have always been on the planet and therefore always part of history. But for centuries, their presence and participation in it was unappreciated, devalued and generally overlooked. We know that early history texts often excluded women altogether, except for mentions of certain queens and members considered royalty.
Now
Though we as a nation now acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievement of women in our society, significant disparities continue to exists.
Did you know a woman’s status in the United States consistently lags behind a man? Despite some progress in recent decades, women today earn 87 cents to every dollar earned by a man, women experience higher poverty rates than their male counterparts, face specific adverse health conditions, and remain underrepresented in political office across the nation only to name a few.
The impact of these disparities has eroded women’s rights, economic security, personal safety, and health. These facts bring us to the question…
How did we get to this place? The Patriarchy
One thing that’s contributed to the oppression and disparity faced by women continues to be our ingrained practice of patriarchy. At its most basic level, patriarchy is a social system in which men have a privileged position in society. It is a set of cultural rules, values and norms that specify how men and women should be and act. It is based on a belief that men have an inherent right to dominate and that women be subservient. Given this context, it becomes easy to see how the disparities and oppression faced by women has come to be and continue. Now that we know the facts, what needs to happen next?
A Call to Action for Men
Men, the time is now to ask yourselves, “What is mine to do?” As men, the true benefactors of patriarchy and its accompanying systems of oppression: it’s our responsibility to dismantle these systems that nurture and perpetuate inequality.
It’s time to actually put on our “big-boy” pants and become an active advocate for equitable gender inclusion in all aspects of daily life. It’s time to come down from our institutional and psychological towers of power and enter the arena where real change occurs. Here are a few things men can do to better partner with women and dismantle the patriarchy.
Deprogram yourself. Acknowledge and accept the fact that we have all lived in a social system in which men have disproportionate access to political power, social influence, and financial gain resulting in the
diminution of women and others. It’s also about deep personal introspection and an examination of your values, morals and principles about what it means to be human and especially what it means to be a
man.
Why do anything?
Without the avid support of men, the true beneficiaries of our patriarchal social system, significant progress toward ending gender disparities and oppression is unlikely.
What’s at stake?
A study by McKinsey projects that in a “full potential” scenario in which women participate in the economy identically to men, $28 trillion dollars (26%) would be added to the annual global GDP when compared to the current business-as-usual scenario.
Imagine a world where the oppression of women is non-existent. Imagine/ a world where everyone wins. Imagine yourself helping to make it a reality!
Step back and listen. Remember your intention to dismantle patriarchal attitudes and behaviors. Men tend to think they know what’s right. Everyone dislikes a “know-it-all.” Transformative listening requires
empathy, sincerity, focus, respect and an overarching appreciation and valuing of women’s lived-experiences.
Remember, it’s not about you. Too often we men can be controlled by ego which can often lead to oppressive behaviors. You are speaking with women not for them. Mansplaining is not good. Remember, Everyone dislikes a “know-it-all.”
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. You were born into and have learned extremely well how to operate in a system that marginalizes women. Changing will not be easy. Lean into your commitment to equity and justice particularly when you may feel degrees of shame, blame and anxiety. The answer to your feeling discomfort lies with more engagement and learning, not less.
You matter,
Steve
Steve Galloway
Partner
ChoicePoints Learning
www.choicepointslearning.com
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About Steve Galloway
Steve Galloway is a Partner in ChoicePoints Learning and is committed to building Beloved Community that fosters ways we can be Better Together at work and in life. As a dynamic and thoughtful transformation change, organizational and leadership development consultant and coach, the thrust of Steve’s work is helping organizations and their people develop the skills, practices, insights, relationships and strategies required to reach peak performance and the realization of their desired business and personal developmental aims.
Steve has served a wide variety of private/public sector, intelligence and defense organizations providing dedicated consulting support addressing organizational change challenges, emerging business transformation initiatives and leadership development.
Much of Steve’s consulting and leadership coaching focuses on the building of inclusive capacities. Steve strongly believes that leaders who are best prepared to lead in this ever-evolving environment will achieve the most success for themselves, their organizations, and positively impact society at large.
Steve has served as Adjunct Faculty-Lecturer at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership (ITL), the co-chair of the Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Program’s Diversity and
Inclusion Advisory Group, and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Association of Coaches and Coach Training Organizations (ACTO.) Steve’s educational background includes a M.A., Political Science/Policy Analysis, Southern Illinois University, B.A., Political Science, Edinboro University, Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP), Georgetown University, Executive Leadership Coaching, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, Fellows in the Management of Change, Johns Hopkins University.
About ChoicePoints Learning
Our mission is to help people notice and choose actions that promote mutual understanding, appreciation and respect across all aspects of identity. Our goal is to build Beloved Community across races in order to create results that matter.