To celebrate, acknowledge, and learn from International Women’s Day 2021, we asked the Women of BSE, what does the day mean to them?
We took the opportunity and followed up by asking for their go-to approach to #choosetochallenge and call out gender bias and inequality ?
Always act with dignity and tenacity, if others devalue us we should never lower our standards to suit theirs
Have a reasonable discussion with someone who has gender bias and argue logically why women are able to achieve the same things as men
Accepting that not everyone is going to like you for calling out inequality, and needing to be okay with that; once you've overcome that hurdle, #choosingtochallenge inequality is a lot more seamless
Depends on the audience/ context... often gently asking someone to explain why XYZ is appropriate/ funny often prompts them to reflect.
A simple, strong 'No' can be helpful as an indicator that a discussion point is final and not a negotiation point
A honest, private chat is sometimes useful
I prefer to let my work do the talking - I strive to communicate in a professional manner with clients and colleagues and let my engineering design prove my skills and knowledge
You can read more about this years #choosetochallenge theme, and the important work here: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/.