HeForShe – Building your Gender IQ

PwC and the UN joined forces to tackle unconscious gender bias with the free, 35 minute online course. It’s an interesting experience and good as an opener for dialogue in your organisation about how you can “See, Say, Show, Share and Spread” the concepts of Gender Equality.

Here’s an overview of my experiences of the course.

• The Stroop test – even though I’ve done this so many times, there is always a time gap and the reminder that automatic associations are powerful and present.
• The explanation of key concepts of sex, gender identity and gender expression are simple and clear.

We are reminded of the arbitrary and changing nature of gender expression in the world.

The Ladies’ Home Journal article in June 1918 said, “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”

• The personal reflections section reviews the messages in our own childhood that have shaped our view of gender expression.

As Michael Kimmel says

“We learn how to be a man or a woman…It’s not good or bad but it is limiting.”

• There is a statistical overview of the global situation of gender equality. Iceland is held up as a shining example and I learned for the first time about the October 24th, 1975 strike and it’s follow up in 2010. I wonder if Japanese women will collectively take such action?
• The final piece on actions is really the most important part of the course. How can you bring this knowledge into your every day actions? What will you commit to doing now you are aware of your bias.

Here I am Sharing and Spreading this human rights issue. Take that as my commitment to action #HeForShe!

My only complaints:

• Weak at spelling out the benefits of gender equality for men. The case for women is self evident but the content outlining why gender equality is not a zero sum game was a little light for me.
• Multi-step registration to the Agora website to access the content.

Please tell me about your experiences in the comments below.

Access the Online “Building Gender IQ” course here.

The “Building Gender IQ” course by HeForShe & PwC is a dynamic learning platform that educates users on gender equality.

Created by UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, the HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality provides a systematic approach and targeted platform where a global audience can engage and become change agents for the achievement of gender equality in our lifetime. Since its launch on 20 September 2014, at the United Nations, BY UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, hundreds of thousands of men from around the world including Heads of State, CEOs, and global luminaries from all walks of life have committed to gender equality.