When staffing TV writers rooms, it’s important to get references on a potential hire from both men & women.
If the writer is a woman, men’s feedback may be biased. Very often, when women contribute (and challenge male writers), men will say “they don’t get the show.”
So women are fired and studios/networks blackball them because “they didn’t work out."
If the potential hire is male, women may be aware of behavior that male coworkers didn’t see.
It’s important to get multiple perspectives when checking references. All too often, showrunners get only 1-2 references, usually from their buddies.
This brilliant suggestion was pitched by a woman at the Writers Guild this past weekend. I’ve been working on these exact issues for ten years & never heard/thought of that.
THAT’S exactly why inclusion, diversity, & gender parity are important. This one example proves the point entirely. That woman (wish I got her name) added something fresh & changed the game.
If she wasn’t in the room - and comfortable to speak up - I would have thought I already had all the answers. #InclusionWorks
