Pelotonia’s Post

Following #PrideMonth, take a look at this blog from our Head of Governance and EDI, Vijaya Panangipalli, on the work we've done and what we can all do moving forward 🌈 ⬇⬇

My wife and I are raising two boys and we continue to talk about the responsibility to first and foremost raise humans, not just "boys." One way we do this is by supporting, celebrating, cheering, and talking about female athletes and researchers working in the outdoor space. We cheer louder for our female teammates at races, and follow women's mountain bike racing even closer than the men's races. We celebrate the female conservationists and aspiring scholars we get to work with at the University.    Women are underrepresented in the environmental fields and outdoor recreation, and over two-thirds of women have reported harassment or other forms of discrimination while recreating. We need more women on bikes not just because it is good for women (but that should be enough of a reason). It is essential for boys to see and celebrate women for their athletic accomplishments or scholarly pursuits instead of the other ways they are socially conditioned to celebrate women. More women on bikes (or hikes, or in research fields, etc.) the better off we ALL are. 

Running races has many parallels with (startup) life and always brings me new perspectives. This weekends unexpected insight: Male allies in action. It's called a race for a reason. We're all trying to finish and get a good time in. But who are we competing with? . . . Some compete with themselves. And in my case, that annoying internal voice! Others will race for a position. I usually pinpoint people to track and aim to pass. During Saturdays race, 3 men, showed me the power of male allyship in action. Not only did they not seem to mind that I was passing them, they: 🏃🏻 Paced me: running with me for awhile through the otherwise empty roads, to make sure I kept speed and wasn't alone 📢 Championed me: 'You are one of the top women, keep going, you can make it onto the podium, go go go' 👏 Celebrated me: This photo is taken by my biggest fan, my partner, who is always there at the finish to catch me (and who annoyingly is still faster!) These are exactly the behaviours we need to see in the workplace, to close gender gaps in senior positions as well as pay gaps across all levels. . . . Wonderfully, I am definitely seeing more male allies popping up, here on LinkedIn and at our (clients) offices. Robert Baker Lee Chambers Dirk Hamaker If you see a women - or anyone really - working hard to achieve their goal (at a marathon or in the office) if you can, give them a little of the above, it makes all the difference! Jeroen Steenbergen Helen McGuire Diversely.io - An Access Company Veroniek Vermeulen (Silatha) #MaleAllies #AbuDhabi #AdnocMarathon #DiversityAndInclusion

Arm yourself with knowledge to advocate for transgender rights. Opponents of transgender athletes argue that it is unfair for transgender women to compete against cisgender women. However, they conveniently ignore the transgender men competing on cisgender men's teams who also excel and neglect to mention those who do not win championships or place in collegiate athletics. Check out this list of 39 transgender student-athletes who have competed openly in college and prove that transgender athletes deserve the same opportunities as their cisgender peers. #TransgenderRights #Equality #AthleteEquality

Tidal waves of change are coming … Are here: #climatechange #generationalwealthtransfer #SDGs #AI I’m raising young people so perhaps I’m more attuned to what is coming up behind our generations. #Gender #identity #race #inclusion #equity #accessibility I’m also a futurist and perhaps I observe differently. What do you see?

These women are making history! 4 women mushers have finished in the top 10 of the Iditarod. Yes, we can, we do, we will and we continue to. For #womenshistorymonth we need to spotlight and celebrate the great achievements of those who came before us, those who are making a mark now and we need to fully support those who will. That means we all need to step up, especially our male allies. We have to continue forward, not collapse backward. In corporate American and in every way we need to support all people to be their best and that means something different has to happen to fully support women. I don't want to hear about any more female CEOs dropping out because they weren't supported. Yes, men and women lead differently and need different types of support to be successful. We can provide that and we should. But why am I talking about the Iditarod today? First it's because there are few things more grueling or challenging and women can endure. Second, little known fact, I was a public school teacher for 13 years before I went into business with my dad at Miller Heiman. A few of us got fascinated by the dog sled race 1,000 miles across Alaska when Libby Riddles, became the first woman to win the Iditarod. What an amazing role model back in the 1985 for young women. We taught a big unit about it and have followed it ever since. I haven't taught since 1992 but I'm still a fan and I'm guessing those kids I taught are too. As my good friend Lori Richardson always reminds us, if you see it you can be it. That is the start. This month and every month we need to model so women know what they can be, which is anything. We need to lift each other up and we need to rally our male allies and help them understand what it takes to truly be an ally. It's more than just not getting in our way. It's giving us a hand, speaking up, walking by our side, helping us gain access. Truly believing in parity and acting on that belief. What do you do in your organization to ensure that everyone can be their very best. What do you do to ensure there is parity? My belief, #CEOs that's your responsibility. Build a culture that is completely supportive of all humans regardless of race or gender.

“There is something wrong with our sports systems, and deep down we know it. The sports environments we fought so hard to have equal access to were built by men, for men and boys. Our definition of gender equality has been ‘getting what men have, and the way they have it,’ and it’s backfiring” (Fleshman XII). Are competitive sports enhancing or hurting women’s overall health? In her new memoir, Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World, elite runner and coach Lauren Fleshman asks pointed, pertinent questions, and provides powerful experiential and empirical evidence to back up her answers. Read the book review: https://lnkd.in/gGqpEXEe https://lnkd.in/g-RcNJA3 #womenssports #fertilityawareness

The silent message behind the Olympics: IMMIGRANTS matter, DIVERSITY matters. Diversity is not to be feared, rather it is to be embraced and seen as a strength. Team USA 2024: 3.7% of athletes were foreign born, and over 7% were children of immigrants or second generation immigrants. The USA's ladies gymnastic team is the most diverse in history: Four of the five team members are BIPOC ie Black, indigenous and people of colour; however, more recently the accronym also embraces immigrants and asylum seekers. The USA lady-gymnasts represent Black, Asian and Hispanic backgrounds, which goes to show that IMMIGRANT-roots shine bright, they add value, they are not a threat, they make us better. The same can be said about various other countries whose athletes clearly come from various parts of the world. Look at who plays in the various soccer teams, the track and field athletes...they define our multicultural diversity. Diversity is a vibrant tapestry woven from threads of different colours, textures and patters. It is what makes our world rich, intriguing, and fascinating! It is time to CELEBRATE our differences and the value these bring to the table...consider it a symphony of life playing out in harmonious dissonance.

I do enjoy a coffee often and better with a DEI Ally ... 💭 I had the best time with Brien Convery on Coffee with Convery. It was a pleasure to have time to talk about the stuff that really matters in how we can create safe environments and about perspectives. My only downside ... there was so much we talked about and connected with pre-recording! Hopefully a part 2 session in the near future 🔮 Please follow Brien and Coffee With Convery and let me know what you think or need to discuss more ... yes slide into my DMs if you feel more comfortable to ask. 🔗 Check out this podcast in the comments below. #dei #wellbeing #mentalhealth #psychologicalsafety #idea #coffeechats