Expect More. You’re Worth It
Why women should stop saying “please”
A few weeks ago, I attended an International Women’s Day (IWD) event hosted by the Two Women Chatting podcast team. This year’s theme was “Inspire Inclusion,” emphasising “the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.”
I sat next to Jamie Klingler at this event. Activist, speaker, writer, and TV commentator (to name a few of her jobs), Jamie is “palatably punchy;” otherwise known as “not mincing her words.” When interviewed by host Michelle Ford, she talked about the language of IWD versus last year’s International Men’s Day. A recent LinkedIn post by Jamie sums up her reply:
“The language around International Women’s Day is warm and fuzzy, it is seeking permission and hugging equity.”
The theme for International Men’s Day 2023 was “Zero Male Suicide … a reminder of the disproportionately high rate of suicide among men.” The goal was clear; we knew what it would look like, and no further explanation was needed except for the steps required to reach it. The IWD website (linked above) takes a whole page to gently explain what Inspire Inclusion might mean.
As Jamie wrote:
“What about Zero Sexual Harassment? What about Equal Pay for Equal Work? What about End Sex Discrimination? Nah…
