Redefining Masculinity and Debunking Myths in Tech

Hello all,

Last Friday's 5 Ally Actions from the Better Allies org listed this one below as their #4 Redefine masculine energy. As much as I loved the content of this ally action, what I really loved even more was the concept of redefining something that doesn't serve you or your values. We are not stuck with the definitions embraced by others. Yes, it takes courage and effort to redefine the status quo, but that's what communities like WIT are for.

#4 Redefine masculine energy

On a recent Joe Rogan podcast, Mark Zuckerberg said he thinks the corporate world would benefit from having more masculine energy. As Axios reported, “He didn’t explicitly define the term, but seemed to be relying on the broad stereotype that men are more aggressive than women: ‘I think having a culture that, like, celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive,’ he said.”

In response, Brad Johnson, PhD posted on LinkedIn, “Mark Zuckerberg is right. We need More MASCULINE ENERGY in 2025!”

Johnson then boldly redefined what masculinity can and should look like as a partner, parent, and leader. Here are just some of the examples he provided:

• Take your full parental leave.
• Leave loudly for family events or caregiving to normalize this for others.
• Teach your sons to respect women and your daughters to demand respect.
• As a leader, embrace empathy, generous listening, humility, curiosity, collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
• Advocate for equity and inclusion.
• Courageously disrupt sexism and racism.

All are great actions for better allies.

For our SUNY WIT male identifying allies, if any of these actions can fit into your toolbox, that's great and thanks!

And let's redefine technology careers again by busting through some of the myths that have taken hold in the public perception. IBM has a blog post that features common women in tech stereotypes and then showcases real women in tech who disprove these. It's really inspiring, and makes me want to do something similar for SUNY. Check out the blog Breaking Down the Myths which Deter Women From a Career in Tech.

Then, please let me know if you or someone you know in SUNY would be willing to be featured in a new WIT Weekly Wisdom series called SUNY WIT Mythbusters that will profile SUNY employees.

The SUNY WIT Mythbusters series will run through the month of March for Women's History Month. Send in your profiles now!!

As an homage to IBM, we will start with the same 4 Myths they disprove in their blog.

• Myth #1: Women are not interested in or passionate about technology
• Myth #2: Tech careers are only for individuals with strong mathematical or technical skills
• Myth #3: Tech is a male-dominated field and not welcoming to women
• Myth #4: Women cannot balance family and personal life with a career in tech

All the best,
Holly

Show Me The Heroes

Hello all,

This has been a momentous week already, with the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday and the Presidential Inauguration.

As I ponder the impact of our national history on our national future, I am reminded that we have opportunities to draw upon the heroes of our nation as we make our way into the future. How will we serve our university missions this next year? These words from Dr. King can help set our daily tasks in a larger context.

Martin Luther King Jr.: On the Purpose of Higher Education.

"In 1948 as a student at Morehouse College, Martin Luther King Jr., delivered a speech entitled, “The Purpose of Education,” where he proclaimed that “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education.” MLK Jr.’s point was that attending college is not just the absorption of facts and data, but engaging deeply with information, questioning it, and understanding its broader context and implications. It’s about developing the capacity for analytical and independent thought... In 1965, MLK Jr., spoke at UCLA, reiterating the same sentiment from 17 years earlier. He proclaimed: “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.” As we now reflect on MLK’s vision of education nearly sixty years later, what can we do to further his mission in a tangible way?"

And yet, we need our women heroes too! Where are the Women?: A Report on the Status of Women in the United States Social Studies Standards documents the lack of women heroes in our K-12 history and attempts to provide some of the missing resources.

"Where are the Women? examines the status of women's history in state level social studies standards. States have devised sets of learning standards that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do at specific stages of education. The report and analysis finds that women's experiences and stories are not well integrated into US state history standards. The lack of representation and context in state-level materials presupposes that women's history is even less represented at the classroom level. This implies that women's history is not important."

Most of us learn our general history facts before college (unless you are a history major) - and then maybe we learn a bit more throughout our lives. What we learn in K-12 sets the stage for how we see the world.

SUNY WIT is focused on creating a community of people knowledgeable and ready to advocate for the full participation and potential achievements of woman-identifying folks in technology-related areas within SUNY. We need to know who our technology heroes are- yes, and we have featured many each March for Women's History Month. But we need all our heroes in every aspect of life.

So take a few moments to enjoy learning about some of the women featured in the Digital Classroom Resources so that you can look to the future with a more diverse group of heroes in a variety of fields to draw upon.

I'll be curious to know if any of these featured women catch your eye- so send a message to me or to the list!

All the best,
Holly