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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 & #39;merit& #39; vs & #39;diversity& #39; — 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 & #39;merit& #39; can be problematic and holds back progress for gender equality: https://equalleadershipnz.org/the-merit-myth ">https://equalleadershipnz.org/the-merit...
Please read this thread & article @jacindaardern @toddmullerBoP @winstonpeters @MaramaDavidson @jamespeshaw @dbseymour and commit to a gender-balanced cabinet this election year!
