Great piece from @rethink_media highlighting gender disparities in media coverage. Hardly a surprise to see that in the arms control & nonproliferation policy space men are sourced over women 80% to 20%, according to their data. A few thoughts:

https://rethinkmedia.org/blog/who-gets-heard-matters-we-are-long-way-gender-equity

Lots of excellent & necessary recommendations for transforming the media landscape, but I was particularly glad ReThink highlighted the impact of imposter syndrome. Addressing gender inequity can't just be about getting women out there, it must be about supporting them as well.

Trainings, holding reporters accountable for not quoting women, & commitments within the community to gender parity are important & necessary steps. But if women do not feel confident & supported, they're less likely to want to continue to speak with the media.

Its easy to blame burnout and loss of confidence on the misogynistic trolling of ideological opposites. That certainly can play a role - its certainly affected my confidence at times - but more difficult to acknowledge & address is the impact of a toxic culture.

It's a challenge to feel like an expert talking to the media if your own colleagues don't treat you like one, or attribute your ideas to a male colleague. There is more pressure to get a quote exactly right when you know any mistake will be pounced on by your own community.

It’s easy to second guess yourself and your expertise when you’re asked to speak on a panel, but the same person who invited you won’t recognizes you to speak at a meeting or consistently interrupts you.

TV adds whole new dimension of pressure. At the best of times it can be a mental challenge to deal with the degrading personal comments & not "looking the part." Appearing on camera after a night up with a baby or during chemo almost assures an avalanche of doubt-inducing emails

As @rethink_media notes, imposter syndrome is "reinforced day-in and day-out" and "creates a psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their accomplishments or talents and have a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a 'fraud.'"

I think their recommendations to address the issue—tailored trainings, continued support, connecting with women facing similar challenges—are important and I look forward to hearing more.

But there are larger cultural issues at work that also need to be addressed. We may never be able to get rid of trolling, but we should be ale to address structures & practices within the arms control community that contribute to imposter syndrome.

I hope this work from @rethink_media, and other organizations tackling similar issues like @NatSecGirlSquad @gcnuclearpolicy @WCAPSnet sparks more of these conversations & a range of solutions, because there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to combating imposter syndrome.