Speaking up | The School of Visibility

Creating a platform

Before you read on, you should know that this article is part of a series on developing a visibility strategy. This is chapter 4 in that series.

You’ll find the rest of the series here.

In this chapter – chapter 4 – in our series on creating a visibility strategy, we’re focusing on visibility opportunities. Specifically the platforms we create from which to then share our work. In Chapter 5 we’ll talk about tapping into other people’s platforms and in Chapter 6 we’ll talk about promoting our work and our platform once it’s established.

As a business woman, a creative, a social justice warrior, or a coach it’s imperative that your visibility efforts link to some kind of platform. A landing place for people who want to know more about you. Your platform showcases your ideas, your philosophy, your unique approach. It tells people why they should gravitate to you … [Read More...]

Blocks to creating a visibility strategy

Before you read on, you should know that this article is part of a series on developing a visibility strategy. This is chapter 3 in that series.

Pick up all the chapters here.

Thus far in the series we’ve considered your deeper why for creating a visibility strategy, as well as the resource commitment you’re willing to make when it comes to implementing your visibility strategy. Before we dive into the various visibility opportunities there are, and which suits you best, let’s address the elephant in many a room; visibility blocks.

Visibility blocks can show up at many different stages in the planning and implementation of a visibility strategy. So when we take our students through our visibility planning process in detail, we include block clearing at multiple stages.

For now, it’s important to take some time to review some of the stories you have about visibility that might be … [Read More...]

#girlboss is not empowering

The women’s empowerment space is an interesting space. On the one hand it attempts to boost women’s confidence and claims to be about women standing in their power.

On the other, there’s so much unacknowledged patriarchal conditioning there that it actually serves to entrench inequality and disempowerment just as often as it attempts to liberate women from it.

#girlboss is a prime example.

#girlboss is not empowering for women.

For girls? Absolutely.

But you’re not a girl. You’re a woman. Which means if you’re going to hashtag yourself, and feel the need to include a gender marker in order to connect with other women, let’s at least go with #womanboss.

Calling yourself ‘girl’ when you’re a woman is a nod to the long time infantilisation of women. It’s a tool that’s been used by the patriarchy to keep women submissive.

It sounds empowering because the word ‘boss’ is in it. … [Read More...]

Disrespecting women’s voices

The long history of men disrespecting women’s voices can be traced back thousands of years. Here’s a corker from Samuel Johnson (playwright, poet, and creator of the Dictionary of the English Language, 1709-1784) ‘…a woman’s preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.’

The dehumanisation of woman, the diminishment of our capacity and our wisdom, is one of the oldest tricks in the patriarchal handbook.

Which is why, every time you speak, every time you put pen to paper, every time you hit publish on a blog post, or record a podcast episode, or say yes to being the guest speaker at a conference, you are partaking in a revolutionary act.

Be sure to take the time to pat yourself on the back.

… [Read More...]

The Visibility Compendium, July 2019

We covered some juicy topics in July; the one thing you can’t be doing if you want to call yourself an intersectional feminist, the visibility flavour of entrepreneurship, the value of listening if you want to be a good leader, and one key action to take if you’re feeling depleted, particularly as a mother. Below is where you can scroll through everything we shared and catch up on all the goodness. So grab a cup of tea, wine, or kombucha and let’s get into it!

FROM THE BLOG

Failure to act
[Topics: visibility blocks | women speaking up]
‘…in encouraging you to take action, I’m not suggesting you quit your job and spend every waking minute initiating conversations about race or class or sexuality.

I’m saying, when the situation arises, have the courage to speak up.

I can think of many people in my life who haven’t spoken up in

… [Read More...]