90% of the world’s population hold biases against women

This phenomenon deeply concerns me. Some time ago, I wrote about it in a guest article for WirtschaftsWoche: “Women, too, need to confront outdated thought patterns and become aware of their biases. They should also seek and provide more support to each other. Whether through mentorship, sponsorship, cross-hierarchical networking, or mutual recommendations: the best antidote to misogyny is experiencing women’s solidarity firsthand.”

For Brigitte Bargetz, a political scientist at the University of Kiel, solidarity among women forms the foundation of feminism. She explains:

“Although there are differences among women, many feminists are united in the fight against patriarchal violence against women of various backgrounds, classes, ethnicities, and sexual orientations.” Feminist solidarity is also diverse: women advocate not only for gender equality in their own countries and worldwide but also collectively support minorities, care for refugees, and take to the streets for climate protection.

It was a great pleasure to see Franziska Schutzbach present her new book, Revolution der Verbundenheit. Wie weibliche Solidarität die Gesellschaft verändert (“Revolution of Connection: How Women’s Solidarity Transforms Society”), at the Authors-MeetUp during the herCAREER Expo. In a discussion with Franziska Hilfenhaus, the author explained how women have consistently disrupted patriarchal structures in everyday life and politics by forming alliances.

The podcast from this event will be available starting December 23rd! Make sure to subscribe to the #herCAREER podcast—available on all major platforms!

In an interview with DER STANDARD, Schutzbach responded to the question, “Why is connection revolutionary?” by stating:

“Connection among women is far from a given. In fact, in the dominant society, women are divided, turned into competitors, and oriented toward men. (…) Within this dependency, women have been made rivals who vie for male approval, the prince, or a good position. Division and hostility among women are deeply entrenched societal structures. Challenging this division is therefore revolutionary.”

To change this fundamental structure, women should focus on building sustainable organizations. Additionally, they should aim to make small changes in their daily lives and, above all, create spaces for one another in more diverse relationships—something that will also bring changes for men.

We’ll also discuss women’s solidarity in the next herCAREER newsletter. When was the last time you felt a sense of connection with other women?

Posted Natascha Hoffner, Founder & CEO of herCAREER | Recipient of the FTAfelicitas Award from Femtec.Alumnae e.V. | LinkedIn Top Voice 2020 | Editor of the “Women of the Year” books published by Callwey Verlag
posted on LinkedIn on 18.12.2024