Photo by fauxels
Each year when the International Women’s Day theme is announced, we consider what the Gild Collective “take” is based on our specific focus and expertise. In 2023, the theme #EmbraceEquity is described:
We can all truly embrace equity.
It's not just something we say. It's not just something we write about.
It's something we need to think about, know, and embrace.
It's what we believe in, unconditionally. Equity means creating an inclusive world.
And we can all play a part.
Each one of us can actively support and embrace equity within our own sphere of influence.
We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion.
Collective activism is what drives change. From grassroots action to wide-scale momentum, we can all embrace equity.
Forging gender equity isn't limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women.
Everyone everywhere can play a part.
Collectively, we can all forge positive change.
In many of our leadership workshops and inclusion programs, we explore the concepts (and differences) of equity and equality. The IWD Team has put together a great primer on the distinction between focusing on equity or equality in inclusion work, and we are particularly fond of Cammy Watkins' explanation on why the advantages and disadvantages we carry require equitable resources to truly be fair.
So—we could have stopped there. Understanding that small nuance that many often overlook is more than enough to fill an action-oriented workshop. As I thought back on the IWD workshops we have delivered over the years, those that are the most successful follow the charge to not only celebrate the achievements of women, but to make a clear call to individual and collective action.
We often hear the “celebration” component as being one of self-care for women, but as I scroll my social media I always seem to be left feeling that self-care is meant to be one-size-fits-all. Take a bath, read a book, go for a walk, drink water. Perhaps the benefit of these is the universal nature of them—maybe they do help everyone. But what about each of our individual and unique needs? What does equitably caring for ourselves look like?
This question led me to take a different approach to one of our activities related to equitable resource planning. We commonly deliver this to managers considering resources for their direct reports. But maybe, this IWD we can look inward to consider what is uniquely holding us back and what it is that we truly need to succeed in our personal and professional lives. Further, let’s create a plan to ask for support where we need it. The bonus? By modeling this equitable practice for ourselves as individuals, we can drive action for others. Encouraging one other person to consider their unique needs. Encouraging one other person to support another equitably as a friend, ally or manager. This can go well beyond the traditional methods of “self-care” utilizing equity as a tool in the process, with true equality as the outcome.
And that is how we landed here, with our new topic for International Women’s Day.
Practicing Equity: Identify, Plan, Model
2023 is all about equity—the quality of being “fair.” This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #EmbraceEquity, encourages everyone to “do their part in creating a fair and equal world within their sphere of influence.” We believe that the process of equity can only truly begin once we’ve taken a look inward through the lens of equity. What biases have we internalized and how do they hold us back? How can we define our own unique needs and seek support to satisfy each one? From there, we are better equipped to model equity as a process and advocate for others through allyship. When we are first fair to ourselves, we can challenge inequities in our workplaces and beyond—breaking down bias and moving toward equal.
Objectives
Identify: Understanding the difference between equity and equality in the context of the International Women’s Day theme #EmbraceEquity
Plan: Creating a personal equitable resource plan—identifying your unique needs and developing a plan to gain resources and ask for support
Model: Recognizing opportunities to model and advocate equity for others through allyship
If you’d like to learn more about hosting an International Women’s Day program for your organization, you can learn more and reach out here.