Action Alert | Help Us Stamp Out Gender Inequality

Conference season is starting to heat up. Why are we so excited? Gender advocates and allies are using social media to challenge conferences to include more diversity and gender representation in speaker lineups. But the onus should not fall on attendees or even speakers to ensure that an event is gender-equal. Event organizers and sponsors have a responsibility to commit to gender equality, too. 

At GenderAvenger, we recognize gender parity as the baseline. Because when society says “women,” it is often a very narrow definition, usually meaning white, straight, cis-born, non-disabled individuals with decent to amazing income. The GA Tally is an opportunity to guide the conversation toward an evolved expectation of inclusive equality. By pointing out when women of color and non-binary people are not present, the GA Tally compels us to ask, “where are all of the women?”, “where are the non-binary folks?”.

Conference season means that GenderAvenger can award the GA Stamp of Approval to those actively prioritizing an intersectional approach to conference line-ups and speaker lists! This week we tallied two conferences; here’s why they just barely missed a GA Stamp of Approval. 

 
 
 

CHPA Annual Conference 

January 30 - February 1, 2022

The Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA) Annual Conference is the largest gathering of corporate housing providers, agencies, and vendors seeking opportunities to innovate, connect, and prepare for challenges that arise in the corporate housing sector. A little over half of the 19 speakers listed on the CHPA conference website are women. YES! But, the CHPA Annual Conference does not earn a GA Stamp of Approval because only 5% of the total experts invited to speak are women of color. Congrats on parity, but we hope they’ll ask more women of color and non-binary experts to join the 2023 conference.

 
 
 

Enigma 2022 Conference 

February 1 - 3, 2022

The Enigma 2022 Conference centers on single-track talks covering various topics and “ideas that matter” in security and privacy. Ten of this year’s 25 total session speakers were women (41%), 4 of which were women of color (16%). The conference met our standard for women of color but fell short on parity. If the conference had switched out a few men with women or non-binary persons, the Enigma 2022 Conference would have earned a Bronze Stamp of Approval this year.

So, how do we count? Here’s our methodology…

We approach each conference list and speaker line-up with the hope and expectation that we will have an opportunity to award a GA Stamp of Approval. When we cannot reward a stamp, we think critically about how event organizers can improve the upcoming year. 

We’re committed to ensuring that we don’t misrepresent who’s present in our count. This time, we tallied the featured speakers available on the CHPA Annual Conference website, and we tallied the Enigma 2022 Conference single-track sessions only. For Enigma 2022, we read each featured speaker’s bio. To maintain consistency with what we measured (single-track sessions), we did not include Enigma 2022 Conference opening keynote speakers, a fireside chat, or two panels. 

Community Action - Nominate a Conference Speaker List 

Help us stamp out gender inequality and award good gender balance with the GenderAvenger Stamps of Approval! To receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold stamp, women of color must be present on your list! Remember, parity is not enough.

We love to celebrate when gender equality is prioritized at a conference or event.  Here’s how to earn a stamp:

  • Gold GA Stamp of Approval: 25% women of color overall; 50% women total 

  • Silver GA Stamp of Approval: 20% women of color overall; 50% women total 

  • Bronze GA Stamp of Approval: 15% women of color overall; 50% women total

Nominate an upcoming conference or event for a GA Stamp of Approval!

Light the Flame with Inspiring Reads

How can we challenge ideas about gender and authority so that women can claim their place at the table, take their time at the mic, or rise to power and influence?  We hope this week’s reads empower and inspire your advocacy and thinking.

  • Looking for inspiration on how to live authentically? In her write-up in The New Yorker, Anna Holmes poetically portrays the nuanced boundary-pushing and radical artistry present in the life of Margaret Wise Brown, author of the beloved children’s book “Good Night Moon.”

  • In a representative democracy or democratic republic, what should representation look like? Barbara A Perry explores ideas about representation and Biden’s promise to bring a Black woman to the highest court of the United States in her opinion piece in The Hill.

  • What happens when we can no longer rely on gendered stereotypes in cartoons and mascots to tell us how to act? People become unhinged! This week we share some editorial responses to Minnie Mouse’s new pantsuit and the decision by Mars to rebrand their M&Ms candy.

 
 
 

📣🚨 Conference season is heating up, and we want to celebrate with the #GAStampOfApproval! But like #CHPA2022 and #Enigma2022, sometimes you’re 1 or 2 women or women of color away from earning a Stamp. You got this.

 
Action AlertsGenderAvengerCHPA2022, Enigma2022, GA Stamp of Approval