4 women and one brave man discussed the gender politics of their careers at Tomorrow's People: Maximising Women and Talent in Cultural Leadership.
Farooq Chaudhry, (Akram Khan Dance Company), Diane Lees (Imperial War Museum), Ruth Churchill Dower (Earlyarts), Deborah Dawton (Design Business Association), and Stephanie Sirr ( Nottingham Playhouse)and chaired by Hilary Carty (former Director of the Cultural Leadership programme), debated the future of cultural leadership and the issues within it.
The varied experiences of the panel meant that some interesting topics arose; with Diane Lees bringing up the treatment and criticism women receieve in the media and in the workplace, and Deborah Dawton saying that if the struggle is too much, get out and go somewhere where you are appreciated.
This struck me particularly: should women just get out? Maybe on a personal basis, it's better to work somewhere supportive. But on a larger scale, perhaps this is the problem? That women are not sticking it out in situations where their workplace is sexist or discriminatory?
I left the talk feeling like I knew how to be a good cultural leader, listening to the pros, but only more confused on gender politics and sexism in work. Perhaps it is something we have to accept, there are people that are set in their ways and there is no way forward in working with them. Perhaps men and women are essentially different, and this can be a good or bad thing. Perhaps there is no difference, and men can have female qualities, and vice versa. I could go on...
But with so many female leaders on the panel alone, it is clearly possible with enough determination and ambition.
And as a woman, I came away feeling more like a feminist than ever in my life, bitch-clicking and felt like going to kick some misogynist ass.
I believe it is absolutely essential that women have the courage to stick to their ambitions and not be put off by accusations of lack of femininity, etc., otherwise where are the role models for the next generation? This I think is easier in the cultural professions than say in politics or business, as the 'arts' are often seen as a suitable feminine occupation!
ReplyDeleteBacking down in the face of criticism may be more comfortable, but just leaves women in the support role, where they have always been.
We have some good examples in Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, and a couple of 'Dragon' businesswomen - all of them have had to withstand the nastiness of the press!