Tackling gender stereotypes

#BREAKTHEBIAS

BY KRISTY KENDALL Principal

When we consider progress, we often envisage a row of dominoes falling one by one. Typically, however, progress looks more like some dominoes falling, others not and even some falling but then standing themselves back up again. This is what our continual plight for gaining gender equality in Australia looks like.

In 2006, Australia was ranked 15th in the Global Gender Gap Index, by 2021 we fell to 50th. In a year where no new female CEOs were appointed to the ASX top 200 companies, it feels like more dominoes are standing than falling.

The reality is that mentoring, funding and initiatives help in addressing these issues but change starts with challenging stereotypes. This is not a conversation just for women, it is a conversation for us all.

To mark International Women’s Day this year we leant in to the theme; Break The Bias. We celebrated across the school with activities that brought year levels together, showcasing the amazing role models we have in our own student body. An absolute highlight being the performance and stories shared by Collegian, Amalia Foy. She talked about the expectations she has for herself in demanding equal pay at music gigs and how she works to confront gender stereotypes in her industry. Our staff heard from Collegian, Imogen Randall, about the national employment trends and perceptions around gender equality. This presentation opened our eyes to the world we will graduate our students into and reminded us of why it is so necessary that we continue to give our students an unapologetic advantage in our all-girls environment.

For our community, we hosted our inaugural International Women’s Day breakfast, a tradition we look forward to continuing. We heard from media personality, Jackie Felgate, but also made a conscious decision to ensure that we have all voices contributing to this issue. Nathan Burke was inspirational in his address at our breakfast, speaking passionately about the role we all have to play in addressing gender stereotypes. He reflected that he is often asked if he is coaching AFLW just to try and get into coaching in the AFL. His answer is simple, he is coaching in the best place to coach. Women’s football is not a step up to anywhere, it is the pinnacle of his coaching aspiration.

I think the most important conversation we shared in as a school this International Women’s Day was that equality doesn’t mean doing things the same across genders. It is about acknowledging and celebrating the differences, and ensuring everyone is given the same opportunities and recognition in the work that they do. Females think differently, confront feedback differently, feel a need to belong differently and so much more. Equality will come when we start to accept those differences, work against our preconceived biases and openly confront the stereotypes that are accepted all around us.