TORONTO,…
Carolyn Lawrence on: Addressing Unconscious Gender Bias

The unconscious gender bias is a trending topic in the gender diversity world—the concept of how we make decisions based on the unconscious learning of being exposed to something without realizing it. The impact of this gender bias has been explored broadly. We’ve discussed how the over-sexualization of women in the media negatively impacts girls’ self esteem and and career potential. Yale recently did a study showing how resumes from male candidates were judged more favourably than an identical version with a female name. My personal favourite is this recent application by Geena Davis, where she examines the representation of women in children’s media as the start of the problem. The numbers are, predictably, staggering.
I couldn’t agree more.
As a working mother of a 3 year old boy I have watched more than a few movies with my son and I was sad to find that there are a breadth of heroic dad’s portrayed in the media and the moms are either dead, or not even mentioned?! Kunfu Panda, Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Hero 6 (ok, there is an entrepreneurial Aunt)… but I beg the question, where are the super moms?! I know they exist in reality, because I know many of them.
Here’s to hoping that Disney gets the message that Geena’s putting out there. In the meantime, we will continue to help foster future female leaders with our Charity of Choice, G(irls)20.
Looking for further insight? We offer consulting services that range from one-on-one executive coaching to gender diversity and inclusion programming tailored to your organization. Request a complimentary consultation to learn more.
By…
From Breaking Barriers to Building Boards: How This Entrepreneur is Elevating Women in Leadership
By…
This Scotiabank Executive is Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges in Global Banking
By…
How This Entrepreneur Channelled Grit to Build a Passion-Driven Business
By…
The Subtle Art of Feedback: How Assumptions Shape Conversations
By…