Women Need Allies
Because real progress happens when we grow together, not separately.
With International Women’s Day approaching, my partner Brandon (Random Thoughts of a Creative) and I were having a conversation about something that made us pause and reflect.
This isn’t about whether women should be celebrated.
Of course they should. Always.
Women have historically fought long and hard for visibility, opportunity, and recognition in spaces where those things were not always given. The feminist movement exists for very real reasons, and those reasons deserve acknowledgement.
We are not disputing this.
When we talk about women, we’re also talking about a diverse experience of womanhood that includes cisgender and transgender women, as well as gender-diverse individuals who have historically faced similar barriers.
But our conversation naturally drifted toward something deeper.
What does true equality actually look like?
Equality isn’t created by separating conversations. It grows when more people are invited to understand the challenges and help build the solutions together.
And more importantly… how do we get there?
Sometimes, when we create events that celebrate one group in isolation, even with the best intentions, it can unintentionally create another kind of separation. The celebration itself isn’t the issue.
Progress simply rarely happens in segregation.
Real change tends to happen when people learn with each other, not just about each other.
For example, when conversations about women in business only happen in rooms filled exclusively with women, something important may be missing: the opportunity for allies to listen, understand, and participate in that change.
Which further exacerbates the challenge of men understanding women.
Because equality doesn’t grow through separation.
It grows through awareness, education, and shared responsibility.
The same idea appears in many movements. In the LGBTQ+ community, allies play a critical role in shifting culture. Without allies learning, supporting, and advocating, progress would move much more slowly.
The same principle can apply anywhere.
When men are included in conversations about the challenges women face in leadership, entrepreneurship, or the workplace, they gain something powerful: awareness.
And awareness often leads to action.
It allows people in positions of influence to recognize blind spots they may never have noticed before. It also allows collaboration to happen in ways that are more balanced and supportive.
Because the reality is this:
Women bring incredible strengths to the table.
Men bring strengths too.
And when those strengths are respected and shared, the outcome is far more powerful than competition.
Conversations about equality are also evolving as we better understand gender diversity and the many ways people experience inequality.
True equality doesn’t come from shifting the spotlight from one group to another.
It comes from learning how to stand in the light together. 🫶🏻
So maybe the future of these conversations isn’t about celebrating less.
Maybe it’s about celebrating more people at the table.
More voices.
More understanding.
More collaboration.
Because progress rarely happens when we divide the room.
It happens when we invite more people into it.
xo, Ash
Further Reflections
If this topic resonated with you, you might also enjoy these reflections:
I Thought I Was Meant to Be a Therapist
A reflection on creating spaces where people feel safe to express who they are.
What Four Decades Will Teach You
How different eras of life shape our understanding of people and the world around us.
I Am Proud of You (Yes, You!)
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer someone is encouragement.
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So this is what caused the hoo-ha? I was expecting something wildly controversial after that build-up, but I actually thought the article was really good. I liked the focus on people growing together and supporting one another. It came across as balanced and thoughtful, and it definitely didn’t rub me the wrong way.
"And awareness often leads to action."
Love this. This is exactly what we need. Thank you for writing this.