Encouraging Open Conversations About Women's Rights

The best thing you can do for a woman today? Be honest with her. It's great to be each other's hype-women and inspire each other but to really change the game, we should also be unafraid to speak truth to each other. Instead of telling your female colleague her presentation was great because 'women support women', take notes during it and give her some thoughtful detailed feedback to elevate it further. Instead of responding with a smile when a colleague admires your confidence in that senior stakeholder meeting, share her how anxious you actually were and how you channeled those feelings and prepared for success. As a manager keep your feedback specific and constructive, never personal or vague. Use examples of where she's going wrong but also share what you would have liked to see instead. Ensure she walks out of your 1:1 with clarity on exactly where she can improve and how to get to the next level. When your client asks you what you think of her strategy don't play nice. Show her where it could be more impactful. Ask her if she wants to do a dry run with you before she takes it to her stakeholders. Don't brush away your friend's fears that having a baby will damage her career. Acknowledge the motherhood penalty. Talk about what she can do to address it head on with her employer and mitigate the issues she might face when she returns. Don't avoid 'politics' on that girls trip. If we are too uncomfortable to talk about what directly impacts our rights and the rights of our daughters then what hope do we have to change the system? Yes - the truth about the erosion of equality IS more important than Love Island. Talk to each other about money. Don't obfuscate when another woman asks you about the finances of running a business or what you get paid. If you had funding/a nest egg/nearly went bankrupt/found a way to scale smartly, share your insights openly and help others rise as a result. Break the 'overnight success' #girlboss myth. Tell your daughter that while it's wonderful to be a 'fairy princess' it's also probably a bad idea to wait around to be rescued. Show her how to stand up for herself and give her a few self-defence tips while you are at it. While you're at it, speak truth to yourself too. Yes, the system is working against you, no it's not getting better any time soon, yes it's exhausting, it's ok to be p*ssed about it and it's also ok to preserve your energy some days to come back and fight again the next. The truth is, I don't always get it right as a leader, a colleague, a friend or a mother but I find starting with being honest helps a lot. With thanks as always for the brilliant, imperfect, warrior women I am privileged to know in work and life and the men who show up for us too. #IWD2025 #women #internationalwomensday #leadership #careeradvice

Work shouldn’t break women. Neither should silence. I’ve seen too many women push through pain, hide symptoms, or downplay their needs at work. It’s not weakness. It’s the culture we’ve been told to accept. But here’s the truth ❌ Women’s health at work isn’t about: 👉 Maternity leave only 👉 One awareness day in October 👉 A fruit basket in the break room ✅ Women’s health at work is about: ✨ Real healthcare coverage: fertility, menopause, mental health ✨ Managers trained to listen, not judge ✨ Flexibility that respects energy, caregiving, recovery ✨ Policies that grow with life stages — not just parenthood ✨ Talking openly about miscarriage, endometriosis, menopause ✨ Safety to speak up without fear of career loss ✨ Metrics that show progress — not just posters on a wall ✨ A culture where health isn’t an exception, it’s the norm If you’re an HR leader or manager reading this — what’s one step you think companies should take today to make workplaces healthier for women? I share these conversations because I’ve lived through them and I see how deeply they shape women’s lives and careers. If this resonated, please follow Gayu Lewis for more real talk on women’s wellness at work — and repost so more leaders start asking the right questions. Together, we can change the culture.

It’s International Women’s Day. And while we’ll see plenty of feel-good posts about empowerment, here’s a reminder of why the fight for women’s rights isn’t just about celebration—it’s about change. Most Saturdays, I post an ad that’s clever or fun, something to spark lighthearted conversations. But today’s ad is different. Because this conversation matters. Here’s the truth: Women don’t need more pastel-colored ‘girl power’ campaigns. We don’t need vague corporate slogans about equality from companies that still have gender pay gaps and leadership teams that look like a boys’ club. Because no matter what we achieve, women are still judged on things that have nothing to do with their worth. Their clothes. Their tone. Their choices. Too much? Not enough? There’s always a label. What we do need? A world where women are valued for their contributions, not judged for their clothes, their tone, or whether they fit someone else’s idea of ‘likeable.’ A world where:   → A woman who speaks up isn’t ‘aggressive’ while a man is ‘assertive.’ → A mother doesn’t have to prove she’s still dedicated to her career. → A woman walking alone at night doesn’t have to hold her keys like a weapon. → A woman’s clothing choices don’t dictate her respect, her safety, or her credibility. The problem isn’t that women need to ‘break the glass ceiling.’ It’s that the system was built in a way that expects us to be grateful for the cracks. So before we pat ourselves on the back for progress, let’s ask: 💭Who’s missing from leadership? 💭Who gets interrupted in meetings? 💭Who gets told to "smile more"? 💭Who gets labeled before they even speak? And more importantly—what are you doing to change it? I know today’s ad isn’t my usual Saturday post. But I hope it still sparks conversation—because this is a conversation worth having. Progress doesn’t happen through hashtags alone. It happens when we stop making excuses and start making change. (This ad was part of a campaign from Terre des Femmes, Germany's largest women's rights organization.)

Early in my career, when I shared the story of a workshop that completely bombed (an email announcing layoffs arrived in everyone's inbox during day 1 lunch of a two-day program -- and I had no idea how to handle this), three women immediately reached out to share their own "disaster" stories. We realized we'd all been carrying shame about normal learning experiences while watching men turn similar setbacks into compelling leadership narratives about risk-taking and resilience. The conversation that we had was more valuable than any success story I could have shared. As women, we are stuck in a double-bind: we are less likely to share our successes AND we are less likely to share our failures. Today, I'm talking about the latter. Sharing failure stories normalizes setbacks as part of growth rather than evidence of inadequacy. When we women are vulnerable about their struggles and what they learned, it creates permission for others to reframe their own experiences. This collective storytelling helps distinguish between individual challenges and systemic issues that affect many women similarly. Men more readily share and learn from failures, often turning them into evidence of their willingness to take risks and push boundaries. Women, knowing our failures are judged more harshly, tend to hide them or frame them as personal shortcomings. This creates isolation around experiences that are actually quite common and entirely normal parts of professional development. Open discussion about setbacks establishes the expectation that failing is not only normal but necessary for success. It builds connection and community among women who might otherwise feel alone in their struggles. When we reframe failures as data and learning experiences rather than shameful secrets, we reduce their power to limit our future risk-taking and ambition. Here are a few tips for sharing and learning from failure stories: • Practice talking about setbacks as learning experiences rather than personal inadequacies • Share what you learned and how you've applied those lessons, not just what went wrong • Seek out other women's failure stories to normalize your own experiences • Look for patterns in women's challenges that suggest systemic rather than individual issues (and then stop seeing systemic challenges as personal failures!) • Create safe spaces for honest conversation about struggles and setbacks • Celebrate recovery and growth as much as initial success • Use failure stories to build connection and mentorship relationships with other women We are not the sum of our failures, but some of our failures make us more relatable, realistic, and ready for our successes. So let's not keep them to ourselves. #WomensERG #DEIB #failure

She was taught to hide her period like a secret because it was “impure”, but she went on to make it the centerpiece of a global conversation. This is the story of Aditi Gupta from Jharkhand. She was born in 1988 and at the age of 12, when Aditi got her first period, it wasn’t celebrated or acknowledged. Instead, she was told to keep it a secret, hidden from her father, her brothers, and even her teachers. During those days, she was considered impure, not allowed to touch the kitchen, sit on the sofas, or enter religious spaces. Her school didn't offer much help. The topic of menstruation was either skipped over or awkwardly ignored. At home, Aditi used a cloth as sanitary protection. It was a reality she and many girls like her had to navigate in silence. Aditi didn’t let these restrictions define her. When she went to boarding school and later met her husband, they finally started talking about menstruation openly. His shock at the taboo surrounding periods sparked something in Aditi. She realized there was an enormous gap in how young girls were educated about menstruation and decided to do something about it. In Aditi’s own words, “menstruation is a natural biological process that every girl and woman goes through for about half their life. It is a phenomenon that is so significant that the survival and propagation of our species depends on it. Yet, we are ashamed and embarrassed by it and try to hide it.” And she was determined to change that.  So, Menstrupedia was born in 2012, a comic strip that aimed to make menstruation a subject of open, honest conversation. What began as Aditi’s thesis project evolved into a movement, reaching over 25,500 schools across India and spreading internationally to countries like Kenya, Brazil, and the UK. Menstrupedia has now educated millions of girls about their bodies, breaking the silence and replacing shame with knowledge. Aditi’s story has been recognized worldwide, earning her a spot on Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 and BBC’s 100 Women list. But for Aditi, it’s all about ensuring no girl has to hide her period again. Her work has not only changed the way people talk about menstruation but also empowered women everywhere to embrace their bodies, their cycles, and their power. #AnitaGupta #BoundlessWithRamG

"Of course, you are curious to hear from men because you support the patriarchy" ❗ This comment was made on a post of mine a few weeks ago. It was a solitary voice amongst many others but it stood out, so I wanted to unpack it and hear your views on the subject. Particularly given that it is International Men’s Day next month (19th Nov) I’m not seeking personal reassurance here, I’m very clear that I don’t support the patriarchy as a system of oppression over women and much of my life's work has been devoted to supporting women through that. But I also believe in checking one’s blind spots and exploring the wider implications of a perspective like this. And that opening up the conversation can be beneficial for us all to refine and evolve our thinking. Firstly, I want to acknowledge that the lens through which I am looking at this is that of the workplace and that a different approach might be required in other contexts. I welcome you sharing any such distinctions. ❌ I fundamentally do not agree with the logic that by simply including men in conversations about gender diversity we're supporting the patriarchy. What I do believe is that: ➡ men should use their privilege to help dismantle the inequality, discrimination and violence experienced by women (and other gender groups) ➡ given the relative power and leadership positions that men hold it is imperative that they are included in conversations to find and implement solutions to improve gender equity ➡ these conversations will reach better outcomes if we use inclusive language that encourages men to be the allies that we need, and we avoid reductive generalisations that label the problem as “white middle-aged men” or “stale pale and male” which can make men defensive and disengage ➡ this is not about centering men but including them so that we can actually achieve much needed change ➡ in doing so we can still call out specific issues and problematic behaviours perpetuated by certain men and require they be addressed ➡ men’s role shouldn’t be limited to just being allies in the gender conversation. In seeking to dismantle the patriarchal systems that hold women back we can also recognise the way in which men are negatively impacted by those systems ➡ we should also create spaces for men to share their experiences and seek to have their needs met in a way that is equitable but not detrimental to women and other gender groups What do you believe? What are the further aspects around this topic that need to be recognised? I know there's more nuance that I can cover in a single post but I wanted to open up the conversation…. So let’s have “that difficult” conversation ��� My only request is that in doing so we seek to remain open to learning and be respectful of others with whom we may disagree. In my experience just attacking other people and shutting down discourse isn’t productive, it just keeps us divided and stuck. #genderequity #genderdiversity #inclusion

Fostering Gender Equity in Leadership: How Storytelling Bridges the Gap 🌉 The journey towards gender equity in the workplace is a shared responsibility, requiring active participation from all genders. Men are crucial in this journey as allies, advocates, and sponsors. Similarly, women can help men understand the nuances of their challenges, guiding them on how best to support their female colleagues. This is where the power of storytelling becomes pivotal. How Men Can Help 🔊 Amplify Women's Voices: Men can use their platforms to amplify the achievements and voices of their female colleagues. This includes endorsing their ideas in meetings, recognising their contributions, and publicly celebrating their successes. 🚪 Open Doors to Sponsorship: By actively sponsoring women for leadership roles and opportunities, men can help bridge the visibility gap. Sponsorship involves more than just mentorship; it’s about advocating for someone’s advancement as if it were your own. 👥 Foster Inclusive Networks: Creating professional networks that are inclusive and diverse helps break down the silos that often hinder women’s access to opportunities. Men can facilitate introductions and invite women into spaces where they have traditionally been underrepresented. How Women Can Help Men Help 📚 Educate Through Storytelling: Sharing personal narratives and experiences with male colleagues illuminates the challenges and biases women face. Stories can foster empathy, understanding, and action far more effectively than statistics alone. 💬 Encourage Open Dialogue: Inviting men into conversations about gender equity and seeking their perspectives can help dismantle defensive barriers. It’s about creating a partnership where both parties feel heard and valued. 🔗 Collaborate on Solutions: Working together to develop actionable strategies for promoting gender equity in the workplace underscores the idea that this is a collective endeavour, not a zero-sum game. Why Storytelling Matters 🌟 Creates Connection: Stories transcend the intellectual to touch the emotional, creating a powerful connection between the storyteller and the listener. This emotional engagement is crucial for fostering genuine understanding and empathy. 🔄 Changes Perspectives: Well-crafted narratives can challenge existing perceptions and biases, paving the way for a deeper understanding of women's systemic challenges in the workplace. ✨ Inspires Action: Stories highlight problems and potential solutions, inspiring listeners to take concrete actions toward fostering an inclusive environment. The path to gender equity in leadership is complex and requires the concerted effort of everyone within the organisation. By leveraging storytelling, we can bridge gaps in understanding, foster empathy, and drive meaningful action towards a more equitable workplace. P.S. Can you recall a story that changed your perspective on gender equity in the workplace? How did it inspire you to act? #story

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀: 𝟳 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 💪🏽 As we approach International Women's Day, it's crucial to focus on actionable change rather than just inspirational slogans. Here are seven practical strategies for building a truly inclusive workplace, regardless of whether you engage an external speaker or coach: 🧠 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 '𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁' 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 Create an environment where women feel comfortable voicing their needs and concerns without fear of repercussion. Before urging women to 'take a seat at the table', ensure there's a culture that invites them to speak their truth and respects their voice when they do. 👨🏻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗔 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 Real change starts at the top. Senior leaders should actively participate in gender equality initiatives, signaling that this is a core organizational value, not just a task to be delegated to junior staff. 🎯 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 Recognize women's contributions and establish clear, measurable objectives for gender equality, including leadership diversity, pay equity, and career opportunities. ⏰ 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Acknowledge the impact of work-life balance on career advancement by supporting flexible work arrangements, addressing the caregiving responsibilities often shouldered by women. 📢 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Implement mechanisms for ongoing feedback and dialogue, such as anonymous surveys and forums, to understand and address the specific challenges faced by women in your organization. 👂🏽𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 Recognize that the issues facing women often mirror those of other underrepresented and marginalized groups. Foster an inclusive culture that listens to and learns from the diverse experiences of all employees. 🐝 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Sustainable change is built through consistent efforts to listen, understand, and act. Make these strategies a routine part of your organization's culture, ensuring a workplace where everyone is equally valued. If you're seeking to truly make a difference in your organization, consider these recommendations as a starting point for fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, feels valued and heard 🙏🏽 And remember, while booking an external speaker or coach can provide valuable support and inspiration, the real work lies in the consistent application of these principles throughout the year. If you're interested in exploring how we can make lasting changes together, let's chat 💬

Women’s rights are still up for debate in 2025. Let that sink in. 30 years after the Beijing Declaration, women are still fighting for basic rights. The right to equal pay. The right to make decisions about their own bodies. The right to exist in workplaces without harassment. The right to lead without being questioned at every turn. We celebrate progress, but let’s not pretend we’re done. Because ‘empowerment’ without real power, policy, and systemic change is just another corporate buzzword. International Women’s Day isn’t just about celebrating women—it’s about confronting the reality that gender equality is still a fight, not a given. So before the LinkedIn posts roll in tomorrow with generic “We support women” messages—ask yourself: What are you actually doing to drive change? Not in a leadership role? You still have influence. Here’s how: ✅ Call out bias when you see it—whether in meetings, hiring decisions, or daily conversations. ✅ Mentor and uplift women, especially those from marginalized communities. ✅ Challenge outdated policies that don’t support equal pay, parental leave, or workplace safety. ✅ Listen. Learn. Amplify women’s voices instead of speaking over them. True inclusion isn’t just for HR or DEI teams—it’s everyone’s responsibility. Small actions create momentum. #ForAllWomenAndGirls 

Do you feel like your voice is just a whisper in a loud room? In male-dominated workplaces, many women may feel hesitant to voice their ideas. It's time to reclaim your voice. Often women’s experience of navigating the complexities of middle to senior management in male-dominated environments feels heavy. As a Coach and Mentor and having lived experience of this in my early management days, I see you. I understand the weight of your experiences, the challenges that often feel insurmountable, and the quiet whispers of self-doubt that can cloud your voice. You are not just managing teams; you are leading change, innovation, and transformation. Yet, too often, do you find yourselves questioning your worth and hesitating to share your insights. It's time to reclaim the narratives that have held you back. Why is it so essential to find your voice? ↳ Firstly, Your perspective is invaluable! ↳ You possess unique insights and experiences that contribute to a richer, more dynamic workplace. ↳ When you speak up, you not only empower yourself but you empower others who might be feeling the same way. 🔍 Here are a few thoughts to consider in finding your voice: ✅ Acknowledge Your Strengths: ↳ Reflect on your accomplishments, skills, and the unique qualities you bring to the table. ↳ Recognising your value is the first step in building your confidence. ✅ Create Safe Spaces: ↳ Seek out allies, mentors, a coach who encourage open dialogue. ↳ Having supporters can help alleviate the intimidation of speaking up in larger forums. ✅ Start Small ↳ If the thought of addressing a large room feels daunting, begin with one-on-one conversations or small group discussions. ↳ Gradually increase the size of your audience as your confidence grows. ✅ Practice Active Listening: ↳ Engage with your colleagues by actively listening to their points. ↳ This not only helps you feel more integrated into discussions but also builds your confidence to contribute your thoughts. ✅ Reframe Your Inner Dialogue: ↳ Challenge the negative narratives that hold you back. ↳ Replace thoughts of "I can't" with "What if I could?" that shift your perspective and open doors to new possibilities. 🚀 Your voice matters, not just for you, but for every woman who comes after you. 💬 What strategies have you found effective in finding your voice at the table? 👉Follow Kim Bransdon 👉♻️  Share with your network to help other women find their voice at the table.