“There are more people named Paul than there are women on this panel.” A comment made by a colleague at MAIN on one of our Sack channels last February.
Since then, there have been numerous examples of events, panel discussions, and high-profile announcements in which women are significantly underrepresented, completely absent, or included as “ photo op » at the last minute, are on the rise. “ and once you see it, you can't unsee it ". And it itches."
However, the need to have more women in leadership roles is by no means a new idea— MAIN; I've often seen our CEO, Louis-Félix, turn down an invitation to speak at an event so as not to be "just another guy on stage."
This conclusion is absurd: There is still an alarming lack of women speaking out in the public sphere.
We’re not talking here about promoting women who work at your company. As a friend of mine says, “We make up 50% of the population; the simple fact that we occupy half the space in the workplace is the bare minimum.”
We’re talking here about hearing women’s voices, about putting women forward—those who, naturally, won’t put themselves forward on their own. Interesting fact: When putting together the program for the accelerators accelerator last year, I put out a call for everyone to contact me with proposals for presentations. Among the brilliant people who volunteered on their own, 0% were women.
When I’m scrolling through social media, I often come across a post promoting an event with lots of women as headliners, and I find myself thinking, “Wow, it’s refreshing to see so many women on a panel.” Only to realize later that the content is actually about “women in tech” or “women in science.”
Organize some panel discussions on women in tech, “women-focused” events—we need solutions designed by and for half the population. But, please, give this same importance to representation across all your events, not just to a niche segment outside prime time.
THE DATA IS THERE
Putting women in the spotlight—on panels, in programming, and at the helm of companies—is not just a matter of fairness. As [author] writes, Caroline Criado Perez in Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, “When we exclude half of humanity from the production of knowledge, we lose potentially transformative ideas.”
She cites the example of Google’s headquarters in California, which had never thought to provide parking spaces for pregnant women until one of its female executives became pregnant and realized that it’s much harder to walk long distances when you’re eight months pregnant. It cost Google nothing to add dedicated parking spaces for pregnant women. It just took someone with a uterus in a leadership position to think of it.
IT'S REALLY NOT ALL BAD
Fortunately, we are surrounded by organizations—supported by exemplary individuals—that are committed to ensuring diversity. To name just a few:
- the team at Startupfest, with whom we are working to organize Acceleratorfest, is a steadfast advocate for diversity.
- the initiative female experts allows users to find and recommend—as the name suggests—female experts to engage with in various fields.
- the Women in Tech Manifesto had already put forward, a few years ago, a superb manifesto calling for “gender parity at technology events, to combat the underrepresentation of women in the industry.”
- the Québec Businesswomen’s Network supports and empowers Quebec women;
- The Government of Canada offers a Guide to Planning Inclusive Events;
- and, of course, the organization urelles, founded by Chloé Freslon, supports companies in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
OUR LITTLE PIECE OF (CHE)MAIN
We still have a long way to go as an organization, and we remain open to suggestions.
in its day-to-day operations, MAIN applies the principles of gender parity in appointments to its senior management and board of directors. In addition to having more female members, the board of directors of MAIN is made up of skilled individuals who are actively involved in the support ecosystem, come from diverse backgrounds, and many of whom identify as people of color.
MAIN has also incorporated into its internal processes a salary review conducted by an external firm to ensure gender equity and prevent any possible form of discrimination in the hiring process.
DO BETTER
It's not easy to air your dirty laundry in public.
If I have the motivation and the platform to write these words, it’s also largely because I’m surrounded by exceptional men who are just as—if not more—sensitive than I am to the issue of women’s representation. Among them are, in particular, my “boss,” Louis-Félix, my colleague, Guillaume, and my partner, Adrien.
I also understand what this means for my role in creating opportunities for the Quebec startup ecosystem to come together. I’m personally guilty of having organized events that frankly lacked diversity. I know what it’s like to want to finalize the program so we can share it as soon as possible with those who will make the trip, who will invest their money or time, and who will choose to come hear our event proposal rather than do something else important. We want to deliver, and we want to check items off our to do.
It’s possible that I’ll find myself with just a minute to go before an event, and that cancellations will leave me facing the possibility of having an event without a mix of genders. I’ll have to cut corners. But that’s exactly when I’ll need to redouble my efforts, be creative, and not fall for the trap.
I pledge to do everything in my power to ensure that, as Caroline Criado Perez says, we do not have to go without the knowledge produced by half of humanity.
— Joyce McLean, Manager — Sommet and Community Relations @ MAIN