Gina Glantz writes:  When is “celebrating” women not all that good for women?

Let’s face it. Something tagged exclusively for or about women is all too often a revenue generating strategy alongside a way to deflect criticism about the lack of attention to women and an opportunity for the powers-that-be to say, “look what we do for women.” Unfortunately, often, what they “do” is not much.

Politico’s opening news release about “Women Rule” said, “More so now than ever, women are driving the conversation in the political, business and advocacy arenas. . . . Women Rule is meant to recognize those women and share the innovative ways they are influencing some of the nation’s most important issues.” After waxing on about the influence of women, they then could only find 21 women they called “thinkers, doers and dreamers” as part of “The Politico 50,” which was made up of 81 individuals.

Food & Wine magazine touted its January “all-women’s issue” but could only find two women to feature among their 11 “best new chefs” in 2015.

CSIS featured Penny Pritzker and Samantha Power among others in their Smart Women/Smart Power series, but in 2014 they could only find one woman to speak at their premier forum titled, naturally, “Statesmen’s Forum.”

And what about TED? Despite great women appearing at TEDWomen, one can only find 33 out of 102 participants who appeared at this year’s main event. Maybe there should also be a TEDMen and the best of both should be featured at a TEDEverybody.

Design Dieter Huthmacher
@wtwfinance