Why Are Men Too Afraid To Mentor Women?

A recent New York Times article reported on an issue I’ve heard more times than I care to mention in the last year. In workplaces across the country, men are shying away from taking meetings alone with women; male to female mentorships are plummeting and human resources departments are advising male employees to act cautiously in the company of female colleagues. This is devastating for women executives already deeply marginalized and left out of these rooms.

And who do these men say is to blame? Why women of course. We are overly sensitive. We’ve lost our sense of humour. Any fallout is our own doing. But what are these men afraid of exactly? The chances of any man being falsely accused of sexual harassment are negligible. Over the past 20 years, only approx 2% of sexual assault allegations were shown to be fake. What’s more likely, is the 35% of assaults that go unreported. So man up guys! Be an ally. Stand strong alongside women. Let’s create a new paradigm where we can work together in mutual harmony and respect.

Illustration by Ana Galvan for New York Times

Women In Entertainment - 10 Things You Can Do To Drive Change

Last week, leading executives and creatives from across the music, television and film industries came together for a high level dinner to share solutions for how we truly move the needle for women in entertainment in 2018. Led by guest speakers Keri Putnam CEO of the Sundance Institute, director Alma Har’el and manager/activist Ty Stiklorius, we left the room armed with actionable ideas for how we continue to drive forward momentum. After a year of marching, speaking out and making our voices heard, we are more than ready to make good on that promise of action. Everyone can be a part of the solution. Here are ten things you can do to make a difference.

1. Take the pledge. Make a personal commitment to create a diverse workforce within your department and company, or on your productions. And set measurable goals.

2. Build data, source data and utilize data to help make the case for equal hiring practices and diverse content creation. We want to see our own stories.

3. Be mindful and intentional about expanding your professional network. How are you ensuring that you're connecting to and meeting with people across race, gender and socio-economic class?

4. Utilize existing models that drive inclusivity such as Dr Stacy Smith’s inclusion riders and Alma Har'el’s Free the Bid.

5. Call out bias and bad behavior when you see it. We have to bring these issues out into the open and hold companies to account.

6. Mentor and sponsor women. Don’t just give advice and guidance, pick up the phone, make introductions, go to bat for people.

7. Use the notion of ‘shining’ to amplify other women’s ideas.

8. We need more women financially investing in other women. How do we make the case to a wider network of high net worth women that investing in diverse content makes good business sense?

9. Use your privilege. If you’re in a position of power or influence, use it to support those with less.

10. If you can't make the system work for you, build your own systems. Lets use entrepreneurship as a tool by which to lead by example. 

Audrey Buchanan, Ty Stiklorius, Dee Poku, Laura Rister, Tory Tunnell

Tasya van Ree, Antoinette Clarke, Dee Poku, Tricia Clarke Stone

I added my name to the TIMESUP Letter of Solidarity

300 leading women across the entertainment industry just launched a wide reaching campaign to combat sexual harassment and support disenfranchised women on the receiving end of unwanted advances. Entitled TIMESUP, the initiative does three key things:

• Provides a $13 million legal defense fund to help women in blue-collar jobs and farm work
• Drafts of legislation to punish companies that tolerate sexual harassment and to discourage nondisclosure agreements in such cases.
• Pushes to reach gender parity in Hollywood studios and talent agencies; and a call for women walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes to wear black as a sign of protest and solidarity.

This is an important step in the right direction, particularly in its support of women without the power or platform to stand up to abuse. The campaign was launched via a full page open letter in the New York Times. I just added my name to the Letter of Solidarity and donated to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.  It feels like a powerful way to start the year.