Another day, another media storm. This time it isn’t Tim Hunt or Boris Johnson, it’s Annabel Karmel, celebrity chef and businesswoman, who has caused outrage by saying, as part of a speech at Cheltenham Literary Festival, that “there are some jobs that women can’t do as well as men”.
She went on to say that women are more sensitive than men and shouldn’t try to behave like men in the business world. “I think sometimes women when they fail, perhaps they give up,” she continued. “I think women sometimes can’t cope with failure as well as men can.”
The internet is of course already divided – some find her honesty refreshing and agree that gender differences exist and are relevant to the business world, while others are appalled by her lack of support for her fellow women.
To me, debating the pros and cons of Karmel’s argument is missing the point. The fact is that, as a high profile businesswoman, she is in a position to be invited to events to speak, share and inspire. By agreeing to these public appearances she is agreeing not only to speak, but to put herself forward as an expert; a role model. And with this platform comes a responsibility.
The simple fact is that a successful woman in the 21st century should know better than to stand up in front of a crowd of people and say that women “can’t”. Is this not the direct opposite of everything we’re trying to teach the next generation? Are we not trying to break through the stereotypes and say there is nothing they can’t do: that if they want to be an engineer, a firefighter, a coder or an entrepreneur, they absolutely can?
I think choice of phrase is key here. Many notable businesspeople have acknowledged that there can be differences in management style between men and women, and suggested that women should embrace these differences rather than aim for a more “masculine” approach. In this sense, Karmel’s attitude isn’t especially revolutionary. The storm begins to brew when she turns these views into a series of sweeping, negative statements about the things that women “can’t” do.
Here is a successful woman putting her voice behind the negative stereotypes that so many others are fighting to break down. I know not everyone subscribes to the adage that women should always help other women to climb the ladder, but there’s one thing we can all agree on: they certainly shouldn’t be actively discouraging others to follow them up.
Anyone speaking out about equal pay, 50:50 board representation, or male-dominated industries will inevitably be met with the riposte that these situations exist because women are simply not as ambitious; not as fearless as men. These damaging assumptions can be self-fulfilling, creating a culture where women at the start of their career path start to believe what they hear, and assume that they should expect less of themselves purely because of their gender.
True equality is as much about attitude as it is about actions. The next generation of women deserve to come into a workplace where the role models who came before them forged a path, and fought to change the attitudes and cultures that held them back.
If you are standing on the stage, with a successful career behind you and an MBE to your name, you are the living proof than women can succeed. Don’t use your platform to stand up and tell other women that they can’t.
