As part of Women’s History Month, the UNMC Office of Inclusion highlighted the importance of investing in women and shared activist Cecile Richards’ calls for a global political revolution for women’s equality.
Said Richards: "If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu … and we’re simply not at enough tables."
During the office of inclusion’s latest "Conversations for Inclusive Excellence" forum, med center and Nebraska Medicine attendees viewed Richards’ TEDWomen presentation, in which she recounts the progress women have made throughout history and the movement to achieve gender equality in political representation.
Attendees then shared their own thoughts during small breakout discussions.
In opening the forum, Sheritta Strong, MD, assistant vice chancellor of inclusion, highlighted how language and representation matter. She shared examples of two job advertisements from 60 years ago. The first read: "Female Help Wanted. Assistant. Takes care. Empathetic. Friendly." The second ad read: "Male Help Wanted. CEO, Assertive individual. Takes charge. Leaves emotions at home."
Information also was shared from the Association of American Medical Colleges’ State of Women in Academic Medicine report for 2018-2019, which highlighted stronger percentages of women among medical school applicants and graduates but far fewer women within leadership roles, including full professors, division chiefs, department chairs and deans.
Said Dr. Strong: "What prevents women from advancing in institutions?"
As part of the forum, she quoted Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in Congress and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president, who once said: "If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."
Watch the recording here.