International Women's Day: 'Go away silly girl' messages won't cut it any more, language in business matters - Rashmi Dube

Another year on, another International Women’s Day, and I am exhausted by the continuous fight to be seen, to be heard, to have some form of acknowledgment in the world of business, that I as a woman should be provided with equality to men. Has there been any change? The change is at a glacial pace. I write not out of rage, and not because I am being emotional, or ranting (terms often used to describe women when we want to exert our voices).

I write to persuade. If I can, I’d like to encourage even just one reader to open their eyes and move away from that which has been ingrained into them about the business world, namely that the business world by default has centred around men, and predominantly heterosexual white men, and anyone that is ‘other’ has had to revolve around them – to fit in and adapt. It is never the other way round, until maybe now.

A few days ago on LinkedIn two conversations ensued independently of one another, both around the same topic. This topic concerned the use of the word chairman and how the top business organisations have lobbied to have the word chairman changed to chair in the Model Articles of Association provided by Companies House, arguing chairman is no longer appropriate.

The first of these conversations was from Dr Roger Barker, director of policy and governance of the Institute of Directors. He said: “Language matters. That’s why the use of the term ‘chairman’ rather than ‘chair’ in the Model Articles of Association provided by Companies House is no longer appropriate..

“The language should be changed to reflect the expectations of modern society for gender neutral language – a change which has already been made throughout the UK Corporate Governance Code.”

On the same day on my feed, Greg Wright of The Yorkshire Post had posted an article on this very topic – “Make UK, The Institute of Directors, the Confederation of British Industry, and all 53 of the Accredited Chambers of Commerce have joined the BCC in signing an open letter to Government asking for the change.”

All well and good… Until we come to the comments. Many centred around whether this issue is an issue or even a priority now. The problem with these comments is they don’t believe this is a real issue and consider the need for women to be seen and represented in everyday business language as a low priority.

Another example of this is when many businesses failed to complete the gender pay gap reports because they had “more important” issues to contend with during 2020 and 2021.

Language has never stayed in the same waters; it has often drifted into unchartered territories. Just take emojis for example. The new hieroglyphics are becoming such a fundamental part of how we communicate that they are even becoming part of a court judgment. Yet language as a whole is still steered by the understanding that everything stems from the he/male.

If you believe women are equal and should have equality, language is the easiest and simplest way to exert change in thought and behaviour. IWD comes but once a year I want us/women to be involved in all conversations 365 days a year.

Bring the change – make language matter.