Media Street Celebrating Their Staff for International Women’s Day 2019 Part 2

It’s International Women’s Day this week and, at Media Street, we have planned lots of content to celebrate! We kicked things off yesterday with part one of this article, where we introduce our wonderful team of women and share the start of our interview with them. Please do go and check it out before you read this one!

So, without further ado…

This year, for International Women’s Day, the theme is #BalanceForBetter. How do you interpret this and what does it mean to you?

Kelly: My interpretation of this is that the scales are unbalanced for women in our current society and that March 8th is about decreasing the difference, and making the balance between sexes more equal.

Grace: The first thing that comes to mind is a set of old weighing scales and that, unfortunately, the women of today still have building blocks to add to these scales to ‘prove’ our worth. In my own mind, as well as others of the same gender, we are already there and have even more to prove!

Imogen: I see this as creating more even representations across all industries, for everyone – regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or ability. It’s so sad to know that there are so many people that are so underrepresented across the world. Whether this is more women hired, promoted or celebrated, we need to see more of it!

Faye: To me, #BalanceForBetter means total equality for both men and women. We, as women, are looking for equal rights, equal pay and equal respect. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for?

Are there any causes that are important to you or that you want to start a conversation about related to IWD?

Kelly: Yes, from what I have seen on the news, women are constantly been undermined, but recently I saw a YouTube video about a woman being asked for sexual favours in place of a job. Her male boss wouldn’t give her the superior job role unless he got something out of it as he thought women should be there to make sure men are pleased and happy in their workplace. I think that the procedures in place should be adopted more widely for equality in a workplace so this sort of thing doesn’t happen in future.

Grace: I recently watched a video online about a woman being harassed by builders in their van on her cycle commute to work in London. Catcalling is still a major issue in today’s society and affects the confidence and dignity of women of all ages. I would like to see more being done on this issue and, if there isn’t already, fines or penalties where possible.

Imogen: There are so many issues that frustrate me in our current society – the gender pay gap, up-skirting and the way women are taught to hate themselves and their bodies from such a young age being key for me. Women are restricted in so many areas, just like men can be in others, and starting conversations about these things is just the start, but we need to carry this on to give it momentum.

Faye: There are so many causes relating to IWD involving mental health, homelessness, race, religion… I could go on all day. But I think that continuing to talk about raising awareness about women’s rights and all of these things combined will go a long way. From here, we can only go forward.

Do you think there are enough opportunities for women in your field?

Kelly: Yes, I think that in the years since women started being granted rights, the job opportunities have significantly increased. However, I do feel that certain work environments are still very set in their ways. For example, industrial kitchens are very much still male-dominated and childcare industries are seen as more of a woman’s role. Is it going to be possible in future to blend the lines between which job is for who?

Grace: Absolutely, and I see them developing frequently. I use LinkedIn regularly for sources of personal and professional content. Here it would be rare not to see women in the sector winning awards and opening new and exciting business across the country on a weekly basis.

Although the digital marketing and tech industries are stereotypically fashioned for men, especially the web developer and designer roles. Here at Media Street, we have had three fantastic women taking on those positions and going above and beyond expectations and that’s what it is all about.

Imogen: I think it’s getting there but we still have a long way to go. In recent years, there have been some excellent steps forward and I hope that International Women’s Day continues to propel women further into their careers and create even more opportunities.

Faye: Not really, I think it could be improved greatly. I believe that Web Development and computer-related jobs are still very much male-dominated occupations.

What do you think could be done to improve things in future?

Kelly: Our society can adapt and make sure women don’t feel vulnerable or pressured into situations. I also think that an improvement for the future could be to stop certain individuals abusing the system and getting away with things they shouldn’t. I think that fair and equal opportunities should be presented and praised, or recognition should be given for good work/effort.

Grace: Women shouldn’t be shy, scared or nervous to speak and voice their opinions towards attitudes in the workplace, as well as on the outside of an office’s four walls. After completing my Safeguarding and Dignity certification, I really do believe every workplace should have an individual(s) dedicated to the equality and diversity of every employment base. Not only will it show clients that you are a fair and equal opportunities employer, but that your staff are willing to take time out of their personal life to make sure their colleagues feel welcomed and understood.

Imogen: The successes of women should be a conversation that carries on past International Women’s Day so that it just becomes the norm. We need to celebrate and empower women every day – they’re half the population!

Faye: It isn’t just men that should be respecting women, women should be respecting each other. Bring people up instead of down and always put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you make a judgement. Just be nice to people and you can’t go too wrong.

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Media Street Celebrating Women in the Local Community

We feel it’s so important to celebrate the successes of local women to help create that #BalanceForBetter in the future. This year, International Women’s Day falls on Friday 8th March, and we’re expecting to see lots of amazing content from all over the world celebrating the successes of women everywhere.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming Media Street blog post where we interview local, professional netball umpire and coach, Julia Harvey. We will be sharing this within the next few days over on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn platforms, so be sure to head over there and give us a follow so you don’t miss it!