8th of March

The other day my wife, who has been witness and accomplice of the actions I have done for and with women at the organizations I have led, asked me if something in concrete has happened to make me adopt a more engaged attitude, behavior and advocacy in terms of gender equality.

I couldn’t identify a single trigger but a series of small insights, internal reflections and inspiring environment that has led me to be more proactive in such an important topic.

I’d also add maturity (age), life experiences and my own path to try to be a better human being every day and to be coherent between my declaration of intentions and my actions.

Coming from a patriarchal and very macho-alike culture (and born with many privileges) contributed to make my path a process full of moments to identify, unlearn and adopt new behaviors and attitudes in so many aspects of my life but in special all what is related to gender equality. A process that hasn’t been fast for some years but recently has turned more proactive and outspoken.

One year ago, in March 2020, I took a deeper commitment towards gender equality declaring that I would be more furious to fight injustice and harassment (see my blog entry called “Sorority”). It is not about joining a trend, a subject that is talked on specific occasions, but to truly contribute to bridge the gap of gender disparities.

Today I ratify my commitment to be a real and effective practitioner of equality by standing up to, proactively, fight professional and societal inequality based in gender and any form of mistreatment and harassment towards women.

One of the concrete actions I have embarked on during the last year is bringing the topic on the table of companies, organizations, public structures and non-profits I’m working with the goal to be part of the systemic change we must reach as society.

The path hasn’t been as fast and smooth as I’d love to walk on, but I can say that, in general, the resistances to talk and learn more about gender equality are less than I was expecting.

The most difficult part is to transform the words into actions. It is somehow easier to influence and change behaviors and attitudes of people inside organizations but more difficult to affect the culture because this requires at the same time structural and organizational adjustments towards gender equality.

It is here where the path faces major obstacles because there are deeper, and somehow permanent changes that many organizations are not ready (yet) to embark on.

However, with transparency and perseverance, I’ve managed to be able to influence, inspire and accompany leaders to embrace, step by step, real changes in their organizations related to gender disparities.

Some of the experiences have been more colorful and joyful than others, but all of them have been a journey of introspection, intimacy, vulnerability, recognition of privileges and above all, a strong will towards a more inclusive organization.

The journey is long in many cases but it must be taken soon: companies, enterprises, can no longer hide the head under the ground as the ostriches. All of us, men and women ready to fight the inequalities, must stand by together to push and pull for this change to happen from within and from outside.

Let’s join efforts today, International Women´s Day, to make it happen, to make it real, it is the time to act proactively to make our society and our organizations more equal and inclusive

This is the time for united efforts, dedicated energies and vibrant passions.

Today I ratify my commitment to be a real and effective practitioner of equality by standing up to, proactively, fight professional and societal inequality based in gender and any form of mistreatment and harassment towards women.