I’ve been asked this more than once: Why do you, a white CIS man, care about gender equality? And honestly, I’ve asked it of myself too.
After all, I’ve never been held back because of my gender. I’ve always had access to networks and mentors who looked like me. In most professional settings, I’ve been given the benefit of the doubt. Statistically speaking, I’ve been the default. So why care?
Because once you begin to notice how unequal the system actually is, it becomes hard to ignore. I didn’t arrive here because of guilt or because someone told me I should care.
I got here by listening. By paying attention to the stories women in tech and business have shared with me on 100+ episodes of the podcast Women Disrupting Tech. And by looking more closely at how many barriers still exist, even when they’re not immediately visible.
A System Centuries in the Making
The system we live in today wasn’t built in the last few decades. Its roots go back thousands of years. As far back as Ancient Greece, political and economic structures were designed by men, for men.
Over time, those systems evolved, but the core assumptions remained largely the same. Leadership, influence, and ownership have historically been concentrated in male hands. That legacy still shapes our laws, institutions, and even ideas about what success looks like.
To be clear, my goal isn’t about blaming men today for decisions made generations ago. I think that would be putting the horse behind the cart. It’s about acknowledging that we’ve inherited a framework that wasn’t designed with gender equality in mind.
And because we’ve all grown up inside that system, its flaws can be easy to miss unless you’ve been on the receiving end of them.
Listening Changes What You See
Over the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve had 100+ conversations with women working in tech and entrepreneurship. Most of the women were guests on my podcast. Others were colleagues, partners, or friends. A common thread in those stories is how often women are overlooked, underestimated, or held to a different standard.
I’ve heard about fundraising meetings where women were asked about their family plans instead of their business model. I’ve seen how being the only woman in the room can lead to being assigned support roles rather than strategic ones.
After 100+ episodes, I can safely say that these are not isolated incidents. It’s about patterns. The same experiences repeat themselves in different settings, different countries, and different sectors.
These aren’t isolated incidents. The data confirms what the stories on my podcast reveal. Women are underrepresented in leadership. They receive a fraction of VC funding. And investments in research related to female health are a meagre 3 percent of the total research budgets.
Women leave the tech industry at higher rates, often because of hostile or biased work cultures. That’s not just anecdotal, it’s structural.
Rebuilding Together
Recognizing the historical depth of inequality should lead us to action, not paralysis. We’re not bound by the system we’ve inherited. But changing it requires more than just policy updates or awareness campaigns. It requires collaboration. Women have long been doing the work of pushing for change. Now it’s time for more men to step up and share the responsibility.
This doesn’t mean stepping aside. It means stepping forward differently in partnership.
When we rebuild more inclusive systems, we’re not just doing it for the benefit of women. We’re doing it for everyone.
Research shows that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative and productive. Equitable companies are more resilient and profitable. Societies that reflect all voices tend to be more stable and just.
So, this isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s a collective upgrade.
Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Allyship Is a Practice, And It’s Not Difficult
A lot of men, myself included, were never taught how to be allies. It’s not part of upbringing, company onboarding or most leadership training.
But during my conversations for Women Disrupting Tech, I learned that allyship isn’t complicated. It means being aware of who is missing from the room. It means listening and paying attention to how credit is given and who gets interrupted. It means stepping back when needed and speaking up when it counts. Sometimes, it’s just about making sure someone’s ideas are acknowledged instead of overlooked.
You don’t need to do all of that every meeting or in every situation. And you don’t need to have all the answers to be useful.
But you do need to notice what’s happening around you and be willing to act. And that includes pushing for changes in hiring, leadership development, funding decisions, and workplace culture, not just saying the right thing in public.
The Personal Becomes Universal: Small Actions, Lasting Impact
In my personal life, I try to apply the same mindset. That means sharing the load at home, being mindful of how I show up in conversations, and staying open to feedback. It means noticing how often certain behaviours go unchallenged and choosing to speak up when something feels off.
Fairness isn’t just a principle I talk about in my work. It’s something I aim to live, even in the quiet moments no one sees.
Professionally, it drives me to host a podcast highlighting women shaping technology’s future. Not because they need my platform, but because more people deserve to hear their transformative visions and insights.
The Journey Forward: Why This Matters for All of Us Equally
This isn’t about blaming men. It’s about recognising that the systems many of us take for granted were built for a world that no longer exists. For centuries, power structures were designed to serve a narrow definition of leadership, success and belonging.
But we have the opportunity now to rebuild those structures in a way that works better for everyone. Not by replacing one dominant group with another, but by making equity the design principle for our society, not the exception.
And that work isn’t just for women to lead. If we want lasting change, it has to be a shared effort. One where men and women work side by side to create something more balanced, more human, and more sustainable.
Progress Needs Partners, Not Bystanders
The truth is, the system won’t fix itself. And progress won’t come from the sidelines. We need more people, especially those who’ve benefited from the current design, to step into the work of change.
Not as heroes. Not as saviours. But as partners. Because the future we’re building won’t belong to some of us. It will belong to all of us.
So, I believe the question isn’t why I should care about gender equality. It’s why anyone wouldn’t.
Do you agree? Let me know in the comments.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack
Reaching gender equality in tech starts with access. Not just to capital, but to the right people, ideas, and spaces. That’s why I’m building The Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack.
Join us if you want to help more women be heard, funded, and celebrated in tech. You’ll receive:
✨ Early access to new podcast episodes, plus a weekly email with the moments that moved me and what they taught me.
✨ Exclusive research on what it really takes to build a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
✨ Invites to special events we sponsor or co-host, where conversations turn into collaborations.
This community is for people who believe in action. And know that together, our voices go further.
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 