Chick Chat With Cornelia O’Dwyer: Selling Female Empowerment?

 

Hello Guys! It’s #TalkTuesday A.K.A #ChickChat.

I was inspired by a podcast I listened to over the weekend about “selling empowerment”. I knew it wasn’t only me who noticed the explosion of Women’s Conferences these days all selling inspiration, motivation and empowerment? Without being cynical, there seems to be so many packaged seminars and leadership conferences convening mass crowds of women attempting to motivate ignite change and activate leaders but to me they seem elite, exclusive and expensive. Are these events changing anything for women? I’ve been wondering what exactly the organisers are accomplishing. Are they just big business for corporations or are women getting what they paid for? Is there room for more relatable agenda?

To be fair, I have attended a few both here and abroad and some conferences are great for inspiration and networking. They pull together some very impressive women and address relevant subject matter. One usually  comes away awed by the stories achievements and perspectives of the panellists. However, after several of these packaged seminars I’m not sure if the whole idea is starting to wear off with me. Don’t get me wrong, seeing other role models and successful women in the same room does motivate and encourage women to rise to their highest potential. We cannot be what we cannot see, we cannot become what we do not believe. The power of real life energy is strong and It’s great to have some of our most powerful people convene, but what about the average consumer who has no clue what empowerment or feminism means and why it matters to them?

Women are seeking out experiences to help guide them through life, the workforce and entrepreneurship, we want to meet mentors, collaborators, business partners, hire people and gain customers but shouldn’t we collectively want to galvanise change. They all seem to be tackling different components of empowerment and gender issues so separately.

I have found that more men were involved in supporting, financing and mentoring some of our most powerful women so they should really be involved in much more of these discussions since most of them run and set the policies at these organisations where we need change. Im not against women on women but can we foster change alone. When you get back to your office desk or personal business and the external structural issues exist, there is only so far you can go with all that “wisdom” you take away from the conferences. How relevant are these conferences for the social change we need in our society? Most social activists will argue that collective action is more effective in pushing for social change and so
men also have a part to play in lifting women up so I’m on the fence as to whether these seminars that are so focused on self improvement advice for women is effective on any a macro level.

I also find that some successful women project a rosier view on the podiums and glance over the dirty details. It seems hard to draw out honesty on such a public platform. No one truly shares their domestic arrangements and how they manage it all.
The events seem to be sponsored by big corporates but are these companies really walking the walk or talking the talk. Some of these organisations do little to “empower” women or set new policies. Would they be willing to publish the salaries of their male and female employees or be more vocal with their gender inclusive policies, enforce diversity in the boardrooms. In Nigeria, I believe that the way both sexes are socialised  we end up having different experiences, careers cycles and attitudes towards power and ambition. Whilst I’m not against the conferences, I’m just confused as to the practical next steps after spending so much money. Is anyone else sceptical about this mainstream movement or do you feel they serve a purpose?