The World’s A Scary Place For Girls Right Now – Men Need To Be Part Of The Change

How to spearhead change
For parents, today’s world is very different from the one we grew up in. Being curious and listening to children about their lives, without preaching and judging, is important in beginning to understand how to guide them.

You don’t need to be perfect. Try to build trust so your children will feel comfortable coming to you if they need to talk.

At home, disrupt gender stereotypes by encouraging your children to explore interests that sit outside of the traditional expectations. Role model partnership at home, whether that’s in caring, decision-making or household duties.

Listen to your children about their view of the world – not only can this help make us a more effective ally, but we role model the value of listening, too.

Advocate at work for family-focused and flexible policies – as a parent these benefit everyone, especially when men step in and champion them.

Engage other men in these conversations. Explore how all men have a role to play and benefit from engaging in allyship, and how they can be a part of shaping workplaces where both their sons and daughters can thrive.

Take the time to speak and listen to women about their experiences, and don’t assume you know what they need. Doing this widens your perspective and gives you a chance to see where you can make a difference – as well as the skills you can build in the process.

Role model allyship for your children: whether it’s having curious conversations, exploring inclusion and fairness as a family, or looking at fairness and people’s rights – when fathers are part of these conversations, children see that fairness and equality are important.

It’s not enough to listen to other voices, we all need to be part of the change. Link to full story here.