Being A Better Ally

Men Have An Important Role To Play In The #metoo Movement As It Is Our Fight Against Gender Bias And Inequality Too, Says Bluewolf Ceo Eric Berridge.

We are living through a historic period; a time when women across the world are feeling empowered and encouraged to speak up, tell their stories and say #MeToo. These strong women are braving exposure, ridicule, blame and disbelief in the hope that their voices will inspire change and put an end to gender bias and inequality.

This movement is not just confined to Washington and Hollywood. It has provided a platform and solidarity for millions, with a global outpouring of stories and support for victims of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and assault. In Australia, women are speaking out against the culture of harassment and the protection of powerful men that has been pervasive in many corporate, media and political institutions.

Are such revelations a surprise? No. Gender equality and empowerment have been a part of the discourse for many years now. But the Time’s Up movement has paved the way for important conversations on the social and moral accountability of individuals, governments and businesses, in particular, of how business leaders need to build a more people-focused workplace that is able to detect and act on signs of gender bias and sexual misconduct.

Earlier this year, I attended Bluewolf’s Women Innovators Network breakfast in Sydney, to hear from influential female leaders and advocates on how we can break down the barriers to women’s career advancement in businesses worldwide. One of the major barriers addressed was how few women there are in top leadership positions; Australian women continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles, both in the public and private sectors.