A common response to the idea of a 50/50 gender quota is “I think regardless of someone’s gender we should stick with selecting the best person for the job.” (a thread) #nzpol #genderequalnz #genderequality #womenincabinet

If you think that we currently have a system where we’re completely unbiased and simply choosing the best person for the job, then you have to grapple with the fact that women are consistently under-represented. And then ask yourself — why is that? Are women less capable?

Nope! Women are just as capable as men, we just face more barriers to reaching leadership.

We often frame the argument as 'merit' vs 'diversity' — as though they can’t exist simultaneously. But we can achieve quality without sacrificing equality (there are more than enough capable women in NZ)!

We also come from a place of thinking there’s some objective definition of merit. But there’s not. Being a woman and bringing that unique perspective and your experiences as a woman is a form of merit.

Taking affirmative action ensures our unconscious gender biases aren’t coming into play, so we’ll end up with the best. Diverse decision-makers make better policies that don’t have blind spots because there are more perspectives, experiences, and voices at the table.

Read more about why our understanding of 'merit' can be problematic and holds back progress for gender equality: https://equalleadershipnz.org/the-merit-myth 

Please read this thread & article @jacindaardern @toddmullerBoP @winstonpeters @MaramaDavidson @jamespeshaw @dbseymour and commit to a gender-balanced cabinet this election year!