Sadly, I think for many companies your observation is spot on. What’s disappointing is that IWD actually began with the right intentions and out of a time when women were fighting for equal rights like women’s suffrage. Since then, the United Nations declared IWD to be an official day of observance and their theme for IWD is 2022 is “Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. But that is not the theme you will find plastered around the walls of your company breakfast.
You can quickly understand the commercialisation of IWD by doing a quick Google search. The top hit for IWD is a private company website that declares the theme for 2022 to be “Break The Bias”. Using this theme, event organisers are encouraged to “strike the Break the Bias pose” and to download selfie cards, posters and organise wristbands. Sadly the real work remains yet to be done.
Like you, I’ve been asked to speak free at IWD events and I know many other women who have the same challenge. Often I will agree if it’s for a charitable organisation such as UN Women. The challenge I have is when it is a corporate event and, as you describe, for some reason, everyone else deserves their salary that day but you.
One of Australia’s multibillion-dollar organisations once asked me to speak at an IWD event where they were charging people to attend, but asked that I speak free. They suggested that by me agreeing to work free, I was allowing them to run these kinds of events. That guilt trip really annoyed me since if this company wanted to hold events, they certainly had the deep pockets to do so.
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Total scam to improve their image with superficial gestures. Religion plays a major part in passing on 'traditions' and the 'right' way to live. Why do people still get brainwashed.
They’re attempting to deflect government regulation
Four talented spoken word artists took my one tribute to a higher level. Express your support on YouTube. WomensHistoryMonth
It restarts every generation. It starts with men passing their bad habits to their boys. It worsens considerably in the schoolyard. If the boys are not indoctrinated into anti-female culture by then, the workplace reinforces it very fast. Its 21st century male initiation.