Name: Freya Cooper
Community/State: Mayberry, Tasmania
School: Deloraine High School
Age/Grade: 16 Years, Year 10
Overcoming the odds – how can we push through barriers to achieve gender equality?
Our biases towards gender – or race, religion and age for that matter, are usually subconscious. They are a major barrier to gender equality, as we often aren’t even aware that we hold these views, let alone realise how harmful they can be, not only to individuals, but to the progression of our society.
Changing our mindsets and challenging our biases will take time. Almost all of us perpetuate systemic misogyny in one way or another, since it is something we learn and internalize, albeit unconsciously, being exposed to it from a young age (Beatrice Alba, 2018). We needn’t point the finger or find someone to blame, instead we need to find ways to mitigate the problem together.
Studies repeatedly show that diverse workplaces perform better (How Unconscious is your Bias?, 2019) and increase growth (Fensham, 2016). We should all learn to see how valuable and important diversity is, and not only as a moral imperative. We can do this by learning about each other and our differences in schools and workplaces, making positive and targeted ads challenging bias for tv and seeing women as CEOs, scientists, engineers and politicians – the more we see of it, the more normal it will become. As we keep challenging our subconscious, over time, positive changes towards equality will continue to be made.
We are not all the same, not only do we have psychological and physiological differences, but every one of us has unique goals, perspectives and backgrounds – no matter what gender, religion or race. So maybe our goal is not only equality, but also equity. To recognise the inherent variances we all have, and to value and accommodate them so that we all have equal opportunity and are treated with respect.
We all have the power to challenge our own bias, and the bias that exists in others. Learning about and understanding each other will help us see the beauty and the benefits of all uniqueness and give us less reason to discriminate against one another.
Diversity is an asset. Once we challenge the biases getting in the way of us realising that, and when it becomes second nature to simply value each other for who we are, no matter where we come from, what colour our skin is, or our gender orientation, equality will be achieved.
References
Beatrice Alba, L. T. (2018, March 8). To achieve gander equality, we must first tackle our unconsious bias. Retrieved from The Conversation : http://theconversation.com/to-achieve-gender-equality-we-must-first-tackle-our-unconscious-biases-92848
Fensham, P. (2016, April 11). Economic benefits of cultural diversity. Retrieved from SGS Economics and Planning : https://www.sgsep.com.au/publications/economic-benefits-cultural-diversity
How Unconscious is your Bias? . (2019, March 7). Retrieved from Global Women NZ : https://www.globalwomen.org.nz/inclusive-cultures/how-unconscious-is-your-bias/
Freya’s Power Trip is kindly being sponsored by AgriFutures Australia!