“Our goal was to change the dynamic for women entrepreneurs and business owners and I feel very strongly that to do that you have to involve all genders in the conversation or nothing will ever change.”
-Amy Nelson, The Riveter CEO & Co-Founder
We’ve had countless men ask what it means to be an ally to women when discussing The Riveter and our goal to change the dynamic for women in the workplace. So, what does it mean to truly be a male advocate for women’s rights? Well to start, it’s essential for all genders to be part of not only the conversation but the movements taking place around the world. Why? Because like it or not, men do comprise the majority of leadership positions (67% at C-Suite levels, 70% at SVP levels, 61% at VP levels, 54% at Senior Manager/Director levels, 47% at manager levels and 36% at entry level) and we need their support to help us truly make a difference in closing the gender gap, breaking the glass ceiling, and achieving true equality.
In a study on the new wave of feminism by the Washington Post, only one-third of men reported identifying as a feminist. Is that because we’re not welcoming them into this fight as much as we should be? Or, could it be that they truly don’t know what feminism is or how they can contribute? Some men believe it’s not their place to contribute to this fight because their gender helped created the glass ceiling. We believe it’s everyone’s fight. Because without women and allies working together, nothing will change–and we’ve seen from the past that working together can create real, effective change, like it did during the women’s suffrage movement when women fought alongside male advocates to win the right to vote.
In a study on the new wave of feminism by the Washington Post, only one-third of men reported identifying as a feminist.
We do keep in mind that for every bias male, there are several who aren’t and several who are searching for how to contribute. They believe in equality, they believe in women earning the same amount of money as men and they believe the women in their lives should have the same opportunities when it comes to senior level positions or access to capital should they decide to start their own business.
This brings us to the importance of advocacy–the act of supporting a cause you believe in; making your voice heard; pressing for progress and fighting for change. There are numerous social issues tainting our world and it’s becoming increasingly important to get involved if you’re passionate about making a difference. Think of how many female allies, like the ones we’ve encountered, that are unclear on what it means to be an advocate and how they can help #PressforProgress. How can we change this? Encourage and inspire a community where everyone is part of the conversation. Educate and inform them on how they can make a difference or take their advocacy to the next level.
While The Riveter is a female-forward platform, we are not exclusive to women. We happily welcome all advocates into our community and to have a seat at our table.
Interested in becoming more involved as a male advocate? You’ve come to the right place.
- Take a few pointers from Justin Baldoni.
- Support women in business and women in your community.
- Make 2018 the Year of [continued] Resistance
- Mentor women equally and encourage male counterparts to do the same.
- Educate yourself on how you can #PressforProgress this year.
- Take action by developing and implementing an advocacy strategy within your company.
- Let’s be friends and allies–join our community.
Photo credit: Amy Galbraith
