Latest news with #genderbias
Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Times
Too female to fund? The gendered gap in business investment
Debbie Wosskow tells Gaby Griffith that if women entrepreneurs had the same support as men, it could add £250 billion to the UK economy – and she has a plan to make it happen Entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow is co-chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce When entrepreneurs Debbie Wosskow OBE and Anna Jones set out to raise capital for their latest venture, wellness company Better Menopause, they encountered a familiar obstacle. Despite a formidable track record – Wosskow founded the home-swapping platform Love Home Swap, Jones is the former UK CEO of Hearst Magazines – one well-known male investor said he loved them but he thought the idea was 'a little niche'. This, says Wosskow, is what happens when women founders pitch female-focused businesses to male investors. Ventures addressing the needs of half the population are too often dismissed as marginal. Women, she argues, are still expected to prove legitimacy twice over – once for the idea, and again for daring to lead it. New research from the wealth management firm Charles Stanley bears this out. Just 24.8 per cent of female founders say it's easier to secure funding as a woman. More than half – 55 per cent – report facing heightened scrutiny because of their gender, while 63 per cent say they have to work harder than men to be recognised as leaders. There is, in other words, significant ground to gain. The UK is home to 7,696 high-growth companies with at least one female founder, accounting for 13.7 per cent of the country's high-growth business population. Of these, 4,224 are majority female-founded. According to the Invest in Women Taskforce – co-chaired by Wosskow – if women were supported to scale their businesses at the same rate as men, it could add as much as £250 billion to the UK economy. Alongside plans to create a dedicated investment fund for female founders, Wosskow and the taskforce are focused on encouraging more women to become investors themselves. As she points out, women are twice as likely to invest in other women as men are. 'We need to create systemic change,' she says. But it isn't only about capital. 'Mentoring is super important,' says Mia Kahrimanovic, chartered financial planner at Charles Stanley. 'I love that quote – 'You can't be what you can't see.' Women need access to mentors and advisers who can help them build and scale. Taking an idea and making it work becomes easier when you know someone else has already walked the path.' A sense of community among women entrepreneurs is key here. Research by Charles Stanley found that 70.8 per cent of female founders expressed a desire to support other women – something that has been evident throughout Wosskow's career. After exiting her first business, Love Home Swap, in 2017, she co-founded AllBright the following year with Jones. The global community connects ambitious women through female-only members' clubs in London and Hollywood, as well as a thriving online network. It's a space for sharing expertise, offering support and building lasting professional relationships. 'Women's networks are just not as strong as men's – for all sorts of reasons – and we wanted to create a global sisterhood of women who had each other's backs,' says Wosskow. Whether formal or informal, having a trusted network to turn to is invaluable for female founders. 'Most of the entrepreneurs I work with say the journey is lonely,' says Kahrimanovic. 'Advisers are an ideal extension of a start-up team, especially when navigating funding, legal or financial issues.' Following the closure of Allbright, Wosskow went on to co-found WJV – an investment firm focused on backing diverse founders – once again teaming up with Jones. 'I've backed only female entrepreneurs in the past six years of investing,' she says. 'As women, when we have money, we tend to show up for each other.' Her goal now is to drive greater economic empowerment among women and encourage them to become investors themselves. She wants women to build wealth, speak openly about it, and use their capital to support the next generation of female founders. 'There is a great wealth transfer coming,' says Wosskow. 'Partly through divorce, partly through inheritance – and I want to equip those women with the understanding that angel investment is a powerful tool.' For some, as she points out, wealth may come from personal transitions, such as divorces. But for founders, it's business exits that unlock the capital needed to reinvest in others. According to Charles Stanley's latest research, 2024 saw 82 exits by female-founded high-growth companies – a promising signal for the future of women backing women. The average age of the female founders behind those exits was 51. As a multi-exit entrepreneur herself, Wosskow has advice for those considering it. 'I have always started a business with a clear plan for how I'm going to sell it,' she says. 'You might mess everything up the first time, but in my experience, you just get better at it. That's why I want women to do it again and again.' For many women founders, however, an exit can feel like a distant prospect as they work through the realities of building a business. For those still in the trenches, Wosskow offers one piece of advice: 'When things go wrong – which they will – give yourself 24 hours to mourn it, then move on. Take a day to lie on the couch, moan and wail, but that's it. Get up and keep going.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Almost one in three women in business feel they aren't taken seriously by investors, research reveals
Almost one in three women in business feel they aren't taken seriously by investors, research has revealed. A fifth (21 per cent) think it's harder for them to succeed than male counterparts – with 22 per cent of these citing limited access to funding and investment. 2 The poll of 500 women who run their own businesses uncovered the top challenges they face, including gender bias (59 per cent) and balancing their personal and professional life (29 per cent). And 42 per cent said they have faced stereotypical perceptions around 'emotional' versus 'rational' decision making, while 26 per cent had problems finding a supportive team to help them achieve their goals. The research was conducted in conjunction with the AXA Startup Angel competition which annually awards two new businesses top prize packages of £25,000 plus mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels' four successful SME owners. The findings have been compiled as part of the Women in Business Report, which looks at the challenges faced by female business owners and shares inspirational stories from female entrepreneurs. 2 Mike Crane, director of small business insurance at AXA UK, which commissioned the research, said: 'Starting your own business is a huge challenge and our research has highlighted areas where women feel disadvantaged. 'It's clear that while the business world has made progress in recent years, it's sometimes still not a level playing field for women. 'More than half of the small business owners we surveyed said gender bias and stereotyping were a problem, while almost a third felt they weren't taken seriously by investors, clients or suppliers.' Other issues women in business have encountered include under-representation of females in senior roles (28 per cent) and social pressure around appearance or behaviour (25 per cent). However, 48 per cent said they have more flexibility to spend time with family while running their own business. More than two in five (43 per cent) feel it has helped set a positive example to their children, according to the figures. Nearly a fifth (19 per cent) of respondents launched their own business to help empower other women and foster diversity, while 15 per cent had hopes of improving their local communities. A fifth said they had felt undervalued at their previous workplace, and 21 per cent also believe there is more risk – including the potential to lose money – as a woman running a business. Mike Crane from AXA UK added: 'We believe being a woman shouldn't be a risk when starting out in business – everyone deserves the same opportunities regardless of gender. 'We're committed to supporting all budding entrepreneurs to realise their dreams. The AXA Startup Angel competition provides a springboard to bring incredible ideas to life, offering funding and mentorship that can make a real difference in those early days. 'Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, and we want to ensure they continue to grow and flourish with our support and encouragement.' 10 THINGS THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR WOMEN TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS: Gender bias and stereotypes (59 per cent) Gendered expectations around leadership styles (42 per cent) Stereotypical perceptions of emotional vs rational decision making (42 per cent) Difficulty in asserting authority without being viewed negatively (33 per cent) Limited work-life balance support (29 per cent) Underrepresentation in senior roles (28 per cent) Lack of recognition for achievements or contributions (26 per cent) Unequal division of domestic and childcare responsibilities (26 per cent) Societal expectations around prioritising family over career (26 per cent) Social pressure around appearance and behaviour (25 per cent)
News.com.au
29-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Uni police lecturer ‘cancelled' over DV claim
A university lecturer who was stood down from her role teaching police recruits for claiming 'just as many women as men' commit domestic violence says she is 'heartbroken' at being 'cancelled'. Dr Fiona Girkin, an associate lecturer in policing and emergency management at the University of Tasmania, previously taught police recruits about domestic and family violence issues and says she was 'much loved' by the police academy. But Dr Girkin came under fire this week over comments she made in a YouTube interview with anti-feminist commentator and author Bettina Arndt. The interview, published on May 15, was titled 'Tasmanian police resist feminist weaponisation of DV laws'. Dr Girkin told Arndt that she urged police, when they get called to a home, to 'not look at gender but look at behaviour'. 'Of course in most circumstances they're going to find that if it's a physical violence situation often it is the male, but I want them to go in and look at behaviour not at gender because I think that can bias how they view the situation,' she said. 'And given that's such a strong narrative out there in the world I'm really particular about not being biased. The other thing I do in my slides is I always make sure I put both lots of stats, you know, male victims, female victims, female perpetrators, male perpetrators.' Dr Girkin said she often put a 'question mark' on some numbers 'because there's actually no stats that I can locate around male victims of domestic violence, certainly in Tasmania, because no one's interested in gathering those statistics'. In response, Arndt claimed international research showed that in 'most violent homes males and females are violent, women often instigate violence … I mean the data is well and truly out there'. Dr Girkin said getting that message to police 'hasn't been as big of a task as I expected because what I'm hearing from police that have been around for a long time and police that are out there at the moment is that they're seeing just as many women as they are men in domestic violence situations as the perpetrator'. 'It's not males that are the offenders, it's equally both men and women and that's something that's certainly coming back from all levels of policing that they're telling me,' she said. Official numbers do not back up her comments. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 81 per cent of the 1582 family or domestic violence-related offenders processed in Tasmania last financial year were male. The rate of offending was around four times higher for males than females at 505 per 100,000 versus 117 per 100,000. Nationally, 79 per cent (71,336) of family or domestic violence offenders were male last year. In 2023 there were 157 victims of family and domestic violence-related homicides, 60 per cent of whom were female. Alina Thomas from family violence support service Engender Equality told the ABC that Dr Girkin's comments were a 'misrepresentation of what we know from evidence, from data and research about the causes and the impacts of family and sexual violence in the community'. 'When people are entering into that conversation who have a very alternative perspective to what the evidence is demonstrating, it detracts from the severity of the reality and the impacts of that,' she said. Speaking to 2GB's Ben Fordham on Thursday, Dr Girkin defended her position despite the talkback host pointing out 'the statistics don't back you up'. 'They're the stats, they're the numbers, I guess I can't argue with those,' she said. 'But it's not taking into consideration what is happening between when they're going into the home and when they're being charged. I've had multiple emails from police saying exactly the same thing, 'Yes we're seeing a lot more women than we used to.' I believe that's to do with the power dynamics changing and men being very fearful of their own behaviour and a lot more conscious of their own behaviour.' Dr Girkin said being 'cancelled' was 'not a very nice feeling at all'. She said she simply taught police that 'you should never make assumptions based on anything'. 'I think there's been a real shift in power dynamics in society with women but also in relationships,' she said. 'I've taken every opportunity since I've been working with police to have conversations about this and everybody I spoke to has said they're seeing as many women [domestic violence offenders] as men when they go into the home initially.' She said she was 'much loved by the police academy, I've had praise for the work I do' 'I try to come from a humanistic approach rather than a feministic approach,' she said. 'I'm looking at human beings and who's in danger and who's not, rather than looking at it as a gender problem. That doesn't mean that I don't teach that women are more likely to be violently harmed because men are a lot stronger than women. That is to be expected. It's a genetic thing, not so much a gender thing. I was simply directing my lectures in a way that matched what I was hearing from the police.' Dr Girkin stressed that she was 'not being disciplined, it's an assessment' but she was 'not sure' if she wanted her job back. 'I'm heartbroken,' she said. 'I really loved my job and it was extremely embarrassing for the ABC to print that I'd been stood down, because that's how my friends and family found out.' Tasmania Police told it 'did not have any input or awareness of the interview'. 'The content of Dr Girkin's interview was not endorsed by Tasmania Police and does not align with our approach in dealing with family violence,' a spokeswoman said. 'Tasmania Police is steadfastly committed with our key partners to a trauma-informed approach in dealing with victim survivors of family and sexual violence.' The University of Tasmania has been contacted for comment. Arndt has sparked controversy over the years for comments on consent and rape, and for sympathetically interviewing convicted pedophile and former Australian of the Year Grace Tame's schoolteacher abuser, Nicolaas Bester. In 2020 she drew fire for comments defending a Queensland detective's statement about the murders of Hannah Clarke and her children that mentioned a 'husband being driven too far'.
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
DIY giant B&Q apologises for listing bathroom cabinet as easy to assemble ‘even if you are a girl'
DIY giant B&Q has apologised after advertising a bathroom cabinet as easy to assemble 'even if you are a girl'. The sexist product listing for their flatpack bamboo unit appeared on its website. 3 The 140cm x 33cm cabinet was shown storing towels, bathroom plants and toiletries. Its product information said: 'Tall storage cabinet is perfect for saving space, slim design to fit in almost any corner. 'Three shelves provide plenty of storage to keep essentials organised and neat, and the cabinet door provides added privacy. "Easy to assemble the cabinet even if you're a girl.' The item had no reviews or ratings before it was taken down after The Sun was alerted by concerned readers. A B&Q spokeswoman said: 'We apologise for any offence caused by this inappropriate description of a product offered by a third-party seller.' The embarrassing blunder comes after B&Q announced its Do The Lift Thing campaign to 'showcase tradeswomen breaking down barriers'. The initiative said the firm wanted to 'highlight the new movement of women in trades, while spotlighting the barriers preventing more girls and women entering the field'. It was launched in March to coincide with International Women's Day. Director Amelie Gallichan-Todd said at the time: 'With only two per cent of trade professionals being women, B&Q is committed to tackling this gender imbalance and has pledged £1million to fund trade apprentices across a variety of sectors, including carpentry, plumbing, painting and decorating. I'm a female miner - men say I 'shouldn't be allowed' on site and ask if I'm the cleaner "By showcasing successful women in these roles, we hope to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in trades, challenging stereotypes and changing perceptions.' In the introduction to its gender pay gap report last year, B&Q said: 'We're proud of the progress we're making. 'This is supported by 44 per cent of our management roles being occupied by women.'
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After More Than a Century in Skorts and Skirts, Ireland's Camogie Allows Shorts
The sport's rules were written more than a century ago, when the mere playing of Gaelic games was a political act in British-occupied Ireland. Much has changed for the island and its athletes since then, but one thing has not: Women on Gaelic Camogie teams are forbidden from wearing shorts during official play and are required to wear a skort. On Thursday, 121 years since the first rules ensconced the gendered uniform requirements, the Camogie Athletic Association voted to allow players to choose to wear either shorts or a skort. 'We welcome the result of this evening's vote for choice,' the Gaelic Player's Association, which includes Ireland's Camogie players, said in a statement posted on X. 'The GPA would like to put on the record our admiration for Camogie players across Ireland and beyond, both at inter-county and club level, who made their voices heard to ensure this outcome.' In a country that prides itself on contemporary, progressive policies, the exhaustive debate over Camogie apparel has needled some of Ireland's most entrenched underbellies. For years, athletes have said they would prefer to play in shorts. Young girls have said the same, and studies have shown that attire concerns are one of the main reasons girls quit athletics at a young age. Still, the sport's global governing body, the Camogie Association, had repeatedly voted to keep the skort rule in place, endorsing tradition and history — and, players said, gender bias. The rule 'screams sexism,' Jane Adams, a former Camogie All-Star from County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, told the BBC. Camogie is a brutal game, known for its physical demands and high-stakes contact, played with paddle-shaped wooden sticks and a small, hard ball. A uniquely Irish sport with few comparisons, at least in the American sporting landscape, Camogie is something like a cross between field hockey, baseball and lacrosse. A similar sport played by men is known as 'hurling.' Camogie was also one of the last major sports in the Western world to force its athletes to abide by a gendered dress code. Those regulations were written in the early 20th century while Ireland was still occupied by the British crown, which would declare Gaelic sports 'dangerous' and ban them from being played without permits. Many women's sports have faced similar reckonings in recent years, and there is growing consensus within the athletic community that concessions ought to be made for the differing needs of female athletes. In 2023, the International Hockey Federation voted to allow players the choice on what sort of kit — shorts, skirts or skorts — they would wear for official play. Manchester City Women and the England Women's Football Team have adopted darker uniform options, to address concerns over athletes' periods. Even Wimbledon has reconsidered its stringent dress codes; its all-white undershorts requirement now has an exception that likewise allows for darker garments. Despite a long-running debate among players over the skorts requirement, the Camogie Association voted as recently as last year to keep the measure in place. But recent weeks have seen the skorts question explode into the public forum after widespread protests by players disrupted several league semifinals and championships. Earlier this month, players in Derry arrived on the field in shorts and were sent back to the locker room to change. In Dublin, players from the city's squad and Kilkenny staged a protest, wearing shorts as they appeared for a semifinal; both teams were sent back to the locker room after officials threatened to cancel the match, leading to a forfeit if the women didn't change. The images of female athletes being directed off the pitch by male officials have become emblematic of the debate. 'Career low for me today when 60 plus players ready to play a championship game in shorts are told their match will be abandoned if every player doesn't change into skorts,' Aisling Maher, the captain of the Dublin Camogie team, said on social media after the protest. Days after the Dublin match, Camogie officials were made aware of a planned protest by the Cork and Waterford teams, who were due to face each other in a provincial final. The game was postponed, and players doubted it would be rescheduled. 'We were willing to take that stance. We knew we'd have to drive this forward,' said Lorraine Bray, 28, the captain of the Waterford team. It was only the second time the county had appeared in the provincial final, she said, so the postponement stung. But, she said, it had led to something: 'I suppose that's what made it go to congress,' she said of the vote. 'I think the message that goes out to players is, we will react. We will engage. We will work. If you talk to us, we will work with you. But we will do it within our rules,' Brian Molloy, the president of the Camogie Association, said in a statement after the vote. 'We cannot set aside rules just because people want us to.' The vote, held by a Special Congress in Dublin's Croke Park, was approved by 98 percent of delegates. From midnight Thursday, players will be permitted to choose between shorts or skorts during official play. The move comes just in time for the beginning of the busy All-Ireland tournament season that is a touchstone of the summer and Gaelic sport calendar.
