Recently a male colleague asked me what he could do to support women at work, and I told him to start by being an ally. Simply speaking up when someone makes a derogatory comment about women, even if it seems innocent enough, is how men can practice this. When one of his colleagues made a comment to him about the size of their female coworker’s breasts, he spoke up. He said, “Don’t do that. Don’t speak about her like that. It’s not cool.” While this might seem like a small action, it is really an incredibly powerful way to create equality at work. By speaking up, my male colleague instantly reset the standards for how men speak, think, and interact with each other and the women in that office.
The challenge with allyship is it generally involves spending your privilege. It is uncomfortable. It requires speaking up. Taking action. Calling out inequality, even if you benefit from it.
The intervention of bystanders often acts as the crucial brake on acts of bullying and discrimination. We can help bystanders become upstanders or allies by making them aware of the problem of inaction.
Joining us on today’s episode is Rohit Bhargava and Jennifer Brown, authors of the book 'Beyond Diversity', who will share the difference between bystanders and upstanders, and how you can take action to tackle inequality when it plays out at work.
Jennifer Fountain: What it is Like to Transition at Work
Adrienne Lawrence: Beating Workplace Sexual Harassment
(SPECIAL EPISODE) Dr. Ken Duckworth: How To Manage Your Mental Health
Liz Elting: Women Stepping Up To Lead In The COVID-19 Crisis
Julia Stern: The Problem With Pronouns
Caroline Criado-Perez: Invisible Women
Nikole Hannah-Jones: The 1619 Project
Minda Harts: The Racial Empathy Gap
Melinda Harrison: How To Manage A Career Change
Verna Myers: Leading Through Crisis
Dr. Monique W. Morris: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School
Special Episode: Michelle King Tells Her Story
Pat Mitchell: How to Become a Dangerous Woman
Darnell Moore: On Being Black In America
Amanda Goodall: Asking for a Pay Rise Won’t Close the Pay Gap
Sarah Sutton: The One Thing That Makes Workplaces Work For Everyone
Rebecca Sive: How To Vote Her In
Tayo Rockson: Use Your Difference To Make A Difference
Gina Rippon: The Gendered Brain
Elena Favilli: If You Can See It, You Can Be It
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