The lack of women in leadership roles in the business world means that it’s hard to imagine yourself there in that position of influence and power. In November 2013 the Australian Financial Review rolled out its annual ‘Power’ edition to arrive at a consensus as to who reigns, controls, and influences the social, cultural and economic dimensions of our lives here in Australia. Of the sixty nine individuals spanning these segments just seven women appear. This Power List illustrates that across sectors and power dimensions in Australia the ability to shape our lives and destiny is overwhelmingly in the hands of men.
With so few women in top leadership positions in business and politics, who do women aspire to? Can I ask you to take a minute and write down the names of 5 women who inspire you?
According to numerous surveys, women mostly aspire to actresses, singers, models and other celebrities. An Australian survey, conducted by Million Dollar Woman in 2011, showed that women from my generation, Generation Y (born 1980 – 1995), most admire these women:
- Miranda Kerr, Model
- Cate Blanchett, Actor
- Kylie Minogue, Singer
- Nicole Kidman, Actor
- Cathy Freeman, Olympian
- Delta Goodrem, Singer
- Olivia Newton-John, Activist, Singer
- Elle Macpherson, Model
- Jennifer Hawkins, Model
- Toni Collette, Actor
The first woman without a celebrity or sporting profile does not appear until No.32, in Fred Hollows Foundation director Gabi Hollows. Women appear to want to emulate other women simply because they are beautiful.
There is much focus on a woman’s “beauty” or her “sex appeal” in the media. Media representation of women including the public portrayal of female leaders is a problematic issue. Pick up any gossip magazine and most of its content is given over to scrutinizing female celebrities’ appearance – Is she too thin? How did she get so fat? How did she lose the baby weight so quickly? Why hasn’t she lost the baby weight? Did her husband cheat on her because she “let herself go?!” And the scrutiny of women’s appearance isn’t only the domain of the gossip mags. You will remember when our now-Prime Minister Tony Abbott said this about two Liberal candidates Fiona Scott and Jackie Kelley: “They are young, they are feisty. I think I could probably say they both have a bit of sex appeal”. Descriptions of a woman’s appearance often appear at the beginning of a newspaper article about her – how old she is, what she is wearing, how she has done her make-up and hair, whether her skin is “glowing” and comments about her figure. Our former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s appearance was often commented on, even by Germaine Greer, who on the ABC’s Q&A in 2012 said Gillard should face the fact she has a big arse.
It’s exhausting, as a woman, to feel like my appearance is more important than who I am as a person. I am so much more than what I look like. I saw a great post on Tumblr recently by a woman ranting about the so-called “inspirational” statement that “confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can have”. Why do women need to be sexy all the time? Yes, sure, I like feeling sexy, you know, when I’m having sex (or about to!), but I don’t strut about the office hoping others find my “confidence” “sexy”. I am an intelligent, hard working woman with plenty of opinions and ideas so I want others to listen to me and hear what I have to say, I want respect!
When are we going to start valuing women for their integrity and strength of character, their intelligence, their wit and humour and their insights and opinions? When are we going to start actually listening to what women are saying – instead of scrutinising their looks?
And certainly there are not enough women leaders to aspire to. Women like Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, newly appointed chairman of the US Federal Reserve Janet Yellen, Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard and corporate scions such as Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly and Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg are outliers and unfortunately not the norm.
However, you don’t need to take inspiration only from women leaders in politics and business. I admire writers and actresses such as Caitlin Moran, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham and Jennifer Lawrence for their energy, creativity, wit, humour, talent and intelligence. I learn from and am inspired by great feminist writers, advocates, researchers and thinkers like Eve Ensler, Naomi Wolf, Anne Summers, Gloria Steinem, Rachel Lloyd, Gail Dines and many others.
So I implore you to switch off the reality TV show, turn away from the latest music clip featuring gyrating female singers and dancers, put away the trashy/glossy magazine that makes you feel bad about your body because you aren’t “perfect”, ignore the ads on TV telling you how many products you need to buy in order to look young and “beautiful”, don’t start that new faddish diet and spend less time waxing, shaving, plucking, dying, bleaching, polishing, buffing, making yourself up, moisturising and shopping.
Instead, find women who are truly inspiring to you and look to them as your role models, for the qualities that you want to embody and for the amazing things they are doing with their lives that you want to do also.
The views expressed in this article are the views of the author, not Ernst & Young. The article provides general information, does not constitute advice and should not be relied on as such. Professional advice should be sought prior to any action being taken in reliance on any of the information. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.