As an agency in the creative industry, we think empowering women is vital. 60% of the agency is female – including many in leadership roles. We’re also tech-savvy. However, there is always room for improvement.

How we choose to challenge. 

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is centred around one pledge – and that’s to drive a force for gender equality everywhere. Whether that is to call out gender bias, to take steps to educate yourself on the matter, or to engage in positive conversations that promote change.

We’ve asked everyone in the agency how they ‘choose to challenge’ and here are some of our favourite responses. But first, please take a look at our top tips for deploying diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

• In a meeting, ask yourself ‘where are the others?’ Have you got a room full of diversity of thought? If not, why? Have those minority voices heard. Make change.
• Ensure that everyone has a voice and feels like they are being heard. Make everyone feel like they are significant.
• Choose not to be an ‘angry feminist’, but to care about the topic of gender equality. Society has come a long way, but there are still a lot of gaps to be filled.
• Diversity is not something you ‘do’ or act. It is something you are. Weave it into your way of life.

Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time. – Jacqueline de Rojas CBE – President, Tech UK.

 

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘Myself to not use gender-sensitive or gender-defining language, e.g “man up” or “ladylike”‘.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The perception of women on social media & how the plethora of unattainable body shapes & plastic faces are setting the standard for normality for all women’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The gender pay gap’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘As a pair of working mothers to two small children, we champion gender equality every day in little ways. From not being a traditional nuclear family and how our children understand and talk about this, to the mundane household tasks we do – we put out the bins, hang doors, mow the lawn, put oil in the car, build furniture. Most importantly, we are educating our children that men and women can do all jobs…and that boys can wear pink, and wear it well!’

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘Myself I how I lead and create opportunities for other women’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The assumption that women can’t thrive in tech’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘Seeking out more stories (in books, TV and films) centred around women. A lot of the time, media focuses on men’s stories with maybe one or two women in token roles (the mother, the love interest, etc). It’s getting a lot better these days, so it’s easier now to find and consume stories that put women on an equal footing with men – that portray them with as much complexity and interiority as men have been portrayed for hundreds of years’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The inequality of maternity/ paternity rights’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The stereotype that all women are emotional and therefore crazy. The stereotype that women can’t be interested in football or car racing – sports that are deemed to be ‘for boys’. The stereotype that women have to be married at 30 with a baby, or else they’ve failed at their societal function. The stereotype that a woman can’t be a successful leader without being called a ‘career b***h’.

I CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE…

‘The lack of visibility of women in leading creative roles’.

And challenging ourselves doesn’t stop with the actions and thoughts we have. Here are our favourite books for female empowerment!

Little Black Book – Otegha Uwagba 

I couldn’t put this book down from start to finish. Namely, because it is so well-written; condensing every skill that women might possibly need in business to 12 mini chapters – but also because Otegha Uwagba is a source of inspiration to all women. Without letting her background, race, or gender, hinder her career ambitions, Uwagba has achieved a degree from Oxford University, a stellar career in advertising and has also gone on to start her own successful business. I’ve learnt so much from one tiny pocketbook and one powerful woman. – Marketing Intern, Ellie Sibley

Girl, Woman, Other- Bernadine Evaristo  

Girl, Woman, Other tells the story of twelve different characters (mostly black British women) across different social classes and generations. No spoiler alerts here, as everyone should read this book, but an interesting reflection was around the experimental and poetic style. The writing flowed with no punctuation at the beginning and end of a sentence with unexpected line breaks; perhaps representative of life – or in rebellion of a predefined, rigid structure. Although at times the style made me work, the narrative shone through. I laughed, I cried and didn’t want it to end. I’ve now lent it to my mum! One of the best books I’ve ever read. – Client Partner, Sally Gillo

Invisible Women- Caroline Criado Perez

In a world where attitudes shift and grow, it’s always good to keep checking your own privilege. As a male reading this, I’ve been astonished at all the unconscious biases women have to deal with in the world. Everything in the world that’s built for the ‘average person’ is really for the ‘average man’ . Things I’d never think about and just take for granted, ie. the air con in an office is set to average male temperature (hence seeing loads of women with blankets and even hot water bottles in offices). I was also struck by the stat that 47% of women are more likely to get seriously injured if in a car accident because it’s been designed for guys.  –  Digital Project Manager, Tom Barklamb

Outspoken: 50 Speeches by Incredible Women, Deborah Coughlin

This book is about reclaiming space, history, and women’s voices. It’s an anthology reminding us of our shared frustrations, hopes, and dreams…So we can continue to build on women’s ideas to create the inclusive and equal future we all deserve.  – Product Manager, Iglika Lax

One part of it that will really stay with me is a quote from Virginia Wolf’s essay “A Room Of One’s Own”:

“She was intensely sympathetic. She was immensely charming. She was utterly unselfish. She excelled in the difficult arts of family life. She sacrificed herself daily. If there was chicken, she took the leg; if there was a draught she sat in it – in short she was so constituted that she never had a mind or wish of her own, but preferred to sympathize always with the minds and wishes of others.[…] I did my best to kill her. My excuse, if I were to be had up in a court of law, would be that I acted in self defense. Had I not killed her, she would have killed me.”

Women Don’t Owe You Pretty, Florence Given

I’ve laughed with this book, poured over the sassy illustrations and at times exclaimed out loud in agreement. This book is not your typical feminist book, it’s conversational in tone, making relatable and easy pick up and put down and has one simple mission: to challenge outdated narratives supplied to us by the patriarchy. For me, it’s made me ask myself more questions. Everything from what I actually think about shaving my legs to what i want and need to do to protect my own energy and my passions. – Design Director, Jenny Powell

We hope you enjoyed our take on this year’s International Women’s Day theme. How do you choose to challenge? Drop us a line.

 

About Six

A brand, culture and digital product agency designing experiences that shape better businesses.