About the “Say No to Manels” campaign

Curious about this effort? Wondering what it's all about? Here are some answers to FAQs we've received...keep the questions coming!

What is this campaign about?

“Say No to Manels” is a campaign that seeks to bring people and event/conference organizers together to comprehend, confront, and change the conditions underlying the persistence of ‘manels’, i.e. panels (of three or more speakers) composed entirely of men.

Why are you making us do this? What’s the problem with a men-only panel?

• Manels undermine the voices, expertise, and contributions of both established and emergent women in the workplace by limiting their professional visibility and influence as leaders.

• Some studies suggest that the lower the number of women in a group, the less women participate in and influence its discussions and decision-making.

• Being a numerical minority in the group will lower the status and, subsequently, the authority and participation of women in the group’s discussions.

• The literature also suggests that women tend to participate in discussions less than men in male-dominated groups due to gendered norms of interaction that vary with gender composition, and that women’s participation, and influence, increases as their proportion increases.

• Organisations miss out on much-needed vision and perspective when the diversity and representation they seek is not visible in important forums.

• Very simply, we believe that "We can't be what we can't see" - and the importance of representation and role modelling of experts of different genders cannot be overstated

As an individual, why should I sign this pledge?

There are many reasons to take this pledge but the below are what we’d like to focus on:

• Take this pledge to increase the visibility and contribution of women leaders in public and professional forums.

• This is an opportunity to call out conscious/unconscious behaviours that contribute to gender imbalance.

• Intentionally find ways to use your privilege and influence in bringing more diverse voices to build more equitable spaces.

As an organization, why should I sign this pledge?

This is an opportunity, as an organization, to:

• Reflect on your decision making process and to intentionally make those processes more inclusive and gender balanced.

• Create an environment of accountability for demonstrating your commitment to gender balanced perspectives and representation.

• Lead the way and showcase positive examples of diverse and inclusive panels - signalling your commitment to a better future, to your employees, shareholders, followers, members and customers (current and future!)