#IWD23 #EMBRACINGEQUITY and Glass Ceilings

International Womens Day 2023

I have been trying to decide what to post on our sites for International Women's Day this year. For starters, I needed a photo of me embracing myself with the hashtag EmbracingEquity. I also found an article on Yahoo News by Amber Raiken, that gives a good overview on ISD23 including:

"The International Women’s Day website announced that this year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. The organisation notes that a “focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA”.

They also highlight the difference between equity and equality, explaining that the former means “creating an inclusive world,” through acts like “challenging gender stereotypes, calling out discrimination, drawing attention to bias”, and “embracing diversity”."

My search for inspiration?

This week, I spent time searching online for multiple versions of "women standing on the glass ceiling". I was hoping to get inspiration for a company logo and IWD23. Over and over the searches turned up a cartoon or three of a woman climbing a ladder trying to break through a glass ceiling, mostly satirical in nature. It made me think that after 30+ years in a STEM career, it doesn't seem as if many strides have been made toward equity in the workplace.

I was disheartened, and yet not really surprised that women standing on top of the infamous glass ceiling are not well represented visually on the internet and based on my personal experience, in many organizations.

When will I be surprised?

...When all currently underrepresented people in the workplace, and in STEM classrooms, become the rule and not the exception within organizations and academia. I have taken our Diversity Self-Assessment and found that I have opportunities to become part of the solution. Each day I work toward Embracing Equity as the norm.

Let's all EMBRACE EQUITY on International Womens Day, and every day.

The author embraces equity and herself in support of International Womens Day 2023

Are you curious where you are on your journey to Embracing Equity? Every day is a new opportunity to expand your diversity mindset. Sign up this March for Nisaba's monthly newsletter to receive a free copy of our Diversity Self- Assessment.