Us vs. them serves no one.
In the fight for gender equality, women and men have to be willing to work together.
It’s not a gender issue, it’s a human issue.
Parental leave.
Mentorship.
Pay parity.
Flexible work.
Inclusion.
We won’t see improvements unless we come together.
Unless we learn to bring our whole selves to the table and do the work.
In fact, it was the “He for She” speech that brought me fully and firmly into the feminist conversation.
Sure, I grew up on Harry Potter and was intrigued by the idea of Hermione speaking at the UN.
But it was the message of togetherness that resonated with me, more than the bra-burning, man-hating feminists ever could. (Though, I’ll be the first to admit, I owe a lot to those pyromaniacs).
I’ve always loved sticking it to the man. But I also grew up in a culture with a tremendous reverence for the patriarchy.
My fierce independence didn’t always line up with my dutiful obedience.
Yet, in my home, I saw my mother and father as complete equals. Never once did I feel that one was diminished by the other.
Yes, my father was the traditional breadwinner. But when my mother had opportunities to work in accounting (her dream career), she did.
They were always a team. It wasn’t always 50-50—any parent knows that there are seasons of life—but it was always equitable.
So that’s what I’m chasing. An equitable world that mirrors what I was lucky enough to see at home. That mirrors what I’m trying to model for my own children.
Women and men working together for gender equality.
Allies at work.
Women at work.
Equality at work.
Rachel Cottam 