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Intro to Gender & Sexuality

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Why do we need to talk about Gender?

7:41 with Michelle Zohlman

Now that we’ve defined gender in-depth, let's discuss why we need to have an understanding of gender.

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    Now that we've defined gender in depth, you might be thinking, okay, 0:00
    Michelle, so why do I need to know this? 0:04
    Well, gender shows up everywhere for us, disparities between genders still exists. 0:07
    Overall, men fall into the dominant category. 0:13
    They hold privileges and have access to power by just being cis men, 0:16
    while other genders do not. 0:22
    The subordinate group is comprised of underrepresented and 0:24
    oppressed groups, which include all other genders. 0:28
    Keep in mind there are inequities among the subordinate genders too. 0:31
    When we discuss gender, we have to acknowledge the stereotypes and 0:36
    biases that are at play and how those may unconsciously impact our decisions. 0:41
    It is those stereotypes and prejudices that affect the inequalities of treatment, 0:47
    belonging and discrimination for genders. 0:53
    One of the inequities we're going to focus on is pay inequity, 0:56
    also referred to as the pay gap. 1:01
    There are drastic differences in pay amongst genders. 1:04
    Typically when we discuss the wage gap, 1:08
    it is traditionally focused on differences in pay between men and women. 1:11
    While this is important, we need to account for other identities, 1:15
    also known as our intersectional identities. 1:20
    For example, do white women and Black woman make comparable salaries? 1:24
    Are Asian women and 1:30
    Latinx women making comparable salaries to men who are Asian or Latinx? 1:31
    Not only do we have to look at the disparities between genders, 1:37
    but we need to go deeper. 1:42
    In 2018 on average, women working full time earn 81.6 cents for 1:44
    every dollar a man working full time earns. 1:50
    Additionally, women's median annual earnings are $9,909 less than men's, 1:53
    according to data from the US Census Bureau, that's a stark difference. 2:01
    Gender in the workplace is a real issue that shows up in more ways than just 2:08
    the wage gap. 2:12
    In 2019, Allison Wynn researched and wrote an article for Harvard Business Review 2:13
    on Why Tech's Approach to Fixing Its Gender Inequality Isn't Working. 2:19
    She identified many ways that these disparities show up from 2:25
    referral hiring to bias during performance evaluations. 2:28
    In their specific study, 2:32
    they conducted 50 interviews with high level executives responsible for 2:34
    their company's gender equality initiative, as well as observed meetings 2:39
    tied to this initiative from subcommittee meetings to unconscious bias training. 2:44
    Interestingly enough, 2:49
    she found that the focus was not to assist women in their personal growth, but 2:51
    a focus on teaching them to fit the existing mold to advance their career. 2:56
    Simply put, they did not focus on breaking that mold for women, 3:00
    but having them conformed to fit what already existed. 3:05
    Let's remember the mold that they created didn't have women 3:09
    in mind when it was built. 3:14
    Wynn shares how it is the outlook of the company that is skewed. 3:16
    When speaking to employees, Wynn learned that people fell into stereotypes of 3:20
    needing to think like a man, or that there isn't really a problem for them, but for 3:24
    other companies. 3:29
    Others question if that should be a priority. 3:30
    Now we know these are problems. 3:34
    How do we solve it? 3:37
    Wynn shares many efforts you and companies can make including bias training, 3:39
    mentorship programs, changing traditional recruitment practices, 3:44
    reducing performance reward bias, and allocation of projects. 3:49
    Make sure to check out their article in the teachers notes to read the full story. 3:54
    This is just a glimpse of gender disparities that exist and 3:59
    why it's important that we educate ourselves on gender. 4:02
    I want you right now and throughout your career in tech to check in with 4:05
    yourself and reflect on the following questions. 4:10
    Is gender something you think about regularly? 4:16
    Why or why not? 4:19
    Do you believe your company, your community, or 4:22
    you personally allow space for all genders to exist and belong authentically? 4:25
    I asked you to reflect on these questions not to make you feel bad about yourself, 4:32
    but to shed light on areas we need to be aware of, whether it's for our safety or 4:37
    well being, or an area where we need to support our peers better. 4:43
    It's a privilege not to have to think about our identities. 4:48
    Personally, I think about gender a lot. 4:51
    As a woman, I have to think about my safety when walking alone, or 4:55
    how my behaviors may get stereotyped. 5:00
    I believe I have worked at places and 5:03
    been part of communities that haven't supported me and other genders. 5:05
    I've worked at places that have gotten it right too. 5:09
    Let's talk about what that looks like. 5:12
    Have you heard of or seen gender neutral bathrooms before? 5:15
    These are also known as gender inclusive bathrooms or all gender toilets, 5:19
    among other names you might have seen. 5:24
    The purpose of these bathrooms is to create a safer area for folks who identify 5:26
    as transgender, intersex, or not entirely male or female to use the bathroom. 5:31
    Notice I say safer and not safe. 5:37
    It is common for women and transgender individuals to 5:40
    encounter violence in public spaces such as bathrooms. 5:43
    By calling it a men's bathroom or women's bathroom, 5:47
    we are not encompassing all the identities using that space. 5:51
    To put it simply, it doesn't represent everyone. 5:56
    So as you're working in tech and 6:00
    have a colleague who doesn't identify as traditionally male or female, 6:02
    think about the species were they aren't represented or considered. 6:06
    According to a Williams Institute study published in 2016, 6:10
    an estimated 0.6% of adults, 6:16
    about 1.4 million identify as transgender in the United States. 6:19
    Do you think companies are considering bathrooms for 6:25
    these folks when they want to work in tech? 6:28
    If we're not thinking about everyone's experience in the tech industry, 6:30
    then it should come as no surprise when folks don't want to work there. 6:35
    Would you feel welcome working at a company that is not inclusive of your 6:39
    identity? 6:43
    Let's consider paternity leave. 6:44
    Are men at your workplace given time off when having a baby? 6:47
    Is it a reasonable amount of time? 6:51
    Is it paid? 6:53
    What about if you're adopting children? 6:55
    Is that considered? 6:57
    Another element to consider when determining gender inclusivity is 6:59
    healthcare coverage. 7:04
    Does the healthcare that your company negotiated cover procedures? 7:05
    Is their inclusive dependent coverage for domestic partners and 7:10
    not just married partners? 7:14
    There's so much to consider when we're striving to be gender inclusive. 7:15
    A good starting point is to ask these questions especially if you're someone who 7:21
    is privileged who doesn't have to think about these challenges. 7:25
    You can be an advocate for folks at your company and in your community. 7:29
    Next we'll be jumping into sexuality, but 7:34
    make sure to check out the teachers notes first to learn more. 7:37

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