Male allies should listen to, respect, seek equality for female oncologists
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
In his efforts to be an ally to his female colleagues in oncology, VK Gadi, MD, PhD, has learned that, sometimes, the wisest thing to say is nothing at all.
“I find it helpful to pause and think, ‘Is what I’m about to say potentially demeaning or dismissive of the person I’m talking to?’” Gadi, professor and director of medical oncology at University of Illinois at Chicago, said in an interview with Healio. “This is a good rule not just for supporting women, but for supporting anyone.”
In this first installment of Women in Oncology’s “Oncology Allies,” a HeForShe effort, Gadi told Healio about three ways in which he strives to be an ally to women in the profession.
Listen instead of fixing
From the most personal relationships to the most professional work interactions, listening is paramount to effective communication and support. Gadi said he constantly aims to be a better listener, a goal that can be especially difficult for physicians, with their problem-solving dispositions.
“It’s hard sometimes to be receptive and listen to a complaint or concern without an immediate knee-jerk reaction to it,” Gadi said. “That’s the hardest thing for me, making a conscious effort to be that way. I’ve watched others who are successful at this, and I’m trying my best to adopt it as a leader.”
Refrain from mansplaining
Along with his goal of actively listening to his female colleagues’ concerns without feeling compelled to “fix” the problem, Gadi said he also avoids mansplaining, or explaining things to women in a patronizing way.
“I don’t think many men even realize they’re doing it,” he said. “But I try to check myself and make sure the thing I am about to say doesn’t fall into that mansplaining category.”
Parity and transparency
Gadi said another important part of his allyship efforts is to recognize sex disparities and seek equality for women and all marginalized populations.
“It’s one thing to say, ‘We’re going to do better or offer more,’ but we need to recognize our blind spots, identify the disparities and make sure opportunities are set at the same level.” Transparency when discussing the salaries for available jobs is another way to ensure fair and equal treatment of applicants, he said.
“They say that sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it’s true in these negotiations that openness and honesty is key,” he said. “We don’t want to realize after the fact that we offered a female candidate a contract that is 10% less than the one we gave to the guy before. It’s important not to be opaque about the process. We want to be open and say, ‘This is the criteria by which we set these salaries or this option pool.’”
Being cognizant of and transparent about standards for job advancement is an important first step toward equality for female oncologists, according to Gadi.
“Even if you generate a disparity, you’ve done it with open eyes and transparency as to why that might be the case,” he said. “It’s really about opening your eyes to your own biases and blind spots.”
For more information:
VK Gadi, MD, PhD, can be reached at vkgadi@uic.edu.
Collapse
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts