Thread by @usnehal

Keep in mind the phrase “shattering” the glass ceiling is a violent phrase associated with riots or “anti-social” activities. #womeninleadership conferences or books don’t prepare you for reality of how perceived/treated when “smashing” the patriarchy, especially as a WOC.

https://twitter.com/PesicJelena_/status/1355229593653882889

There are two ways past the barrier: 1-align with/serve patriarchy and have the door opened.
= mere optics of change while perpetuating status quo & structural inequity
Or
2-shatter it the glass ceiling. The latter will cause you to be a threat to the system & leadership

On rare occasions, the person opening the door past the barrier is truly seeking progress at scale rather than tokenizing you.

More often than not, your role when on the other side is to be token and sign off on perpetuation of inequity while providing the right look/optics.

So can we please STOP merely counting number of women in roles? It is an important metric but only validates optics and performative equity.

Does the woman, POC, WOC actually change outcomes for OTHERS? What is her length of tenure? What budget does she have? #womeninleadership

You know the men afraid of #MeToo  accusations?

Do you know why - besides failure to acknowledge sexual harassment and/or their paranoia?

There IS a pattern of men hiring (young) women who are tools of attack vs their (male) rivals with false reporting.

people.com/human-interest…

Before you all descend on me, yes this is a VERY small percentage of women

however we can’t ignore some women - who may lack qualifications - gain traction by being useful to (slimy, unethical) powerful men

there are some men & POC who are at risk like

insidehighered.com/advice/2020/06…

Let me unpack that a little bit more. How is it that a woman in a powerful position in #NYC (who likely is not easily scared or intimidated) is so quickly able to invoke a victim role, tone, & demeanor?

Speaking broadly, there is a historical pattern:

newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/…

Some (not all) women who advance are NOT shattering anything

but are aligned with/serving & protecting white patriarchy

while allowing HR to report the metrics then presented as #DEI success

women must be able to identify unethical women without “special place in hell” invoked

I go hard at many white feminist icons cuz we have GOT to stop being ineffective. Lovely we are told to “Lean In” but Sheryl Sandberg’s ethics are pretty suspect plus she was mentored by Larry Summer, someone with misogynistic views on #WomenInSTEM

thecrimson.com/article/2005/1…

Why do women listen to the Sandberg, daughter of a doctor who aligned with a man/mentor who told #womeninSTEM faculty at @Harvard their brains just weren’t good enough to merit promotion?

Is it only me who seeing patriarchy, misogyny, and bad science?

nature.com/articles/d4158…

Speaking as so-called “model minority”, can tell you some racists actually love to cite me. “Look Umbereen is ‘successful’, ‘therefore’ system is fine”

I work 3-5x harder (“lean in”). I skipped undergrad (& tuition costs) to go to med school in Pakistan then scored 99% on USMLE

I do TON of volunteer work in policy & community, w/ zero budget or staff

circumvent barriers, turf wars, silos in academia/workplaces

I generate SO much value that people want a piece of it

Others, tho get paid for same work & have saved for retirement npr.org/2018/12/03/672…

Bring those techniques into institutions? What I do to open access, share, create new value, be transparent is a threat to those whose power comes from turf, silos, control

As it is past the glass ceiling is the #glasscliff - so keep job by being token

today.com/tmrw/glass-cli…

Plus too many women and minorities on that side of the barrier, the glass ceiling, are there by delivering on existing incentives, not changing the system.

Long #podcast: I bring up with @Ned_Arick on who is actually changing incentives themselves?

anchor.fm/the-state-of-h…

I impress ppl w/ “authentic” commitment to “mission”

I have no loans, no spouse, no children, no mortgage, financially secure parents, & poor retirement saving

+ right optics:
the “look” - have straight hair, lighter skin, dress & speak “right” while “ethnic”: ✅✅✅✅✅

Have now been in enuf #leadership positions so I understand why I get hired - not saying I have not busted my bottom to over-earn it BUT merit is not reason I get hired - I am supposed to be an image/power-obsessed Seema Verma

I disappoint/fail to be:

nytimes.com/2020/09/10/us/…

It is to the point where I began to warn in interviews: I do not compromise on #ethics #safety #quality - take it or leave it
Sometimes that impresses people

They think they want integrity but rarely are they ready for reality of it

Change is hard, expensive, risky, dangerous

It would require a CHANGE for female advancement in the U.S. to be based on integrity & addressing inequity. Until feminist spaces are ready to look at ugly parts of past & present we will make NO progress on a structural & systems level & we will leave Black/BIPOC women behind

https://twitter.com/usnehal/status/1267032439043567617

We cannot ignore women of the #CapitolRiot or #insurrection or the so-called “Karen” policing POC - a continuation of this history

Feminism must include core principles #ethics #equity #honesty be intersectional AND ready to disrupt/shatter status quo

nytimes.com/2020/05/27/opi…

Let’s NOT brand selves w/ “empathy” as #womeninleadership - those storming Capitol were “saving the children” vs “cannibalism.”
=Empathy
can manipulate or mislead
+
Shared perception of trauma bonds

As a leader I need to secure budget & resources to deliver measurable results

https://twitter.com/usnehal/status/1162952605343145985

Only person who should I give me a job is somebody who cares about measurable results. Somebody who wants only 🌈 🦄 🦋 or ego stroking needs to hire someone else - there are women willing to provide those superficial optics

I make ppl uncomfortable
Change is uncomfortable

https://twitter.com/usnehal/status/1265425020551077888

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