How to battle workplace sexism: ‘make it clear you believe in equal opportunities’

Edith Bowman talks to Prudence Wade about the importance of career equality, keeping men in the conversation, and setting good examples at home

There’s no denying there’s a huge gender problem in the workplace. Not only is the UK’S pay gap reportedly an average 9.7 per cent, with females rarely occupying the top jobs, but in the wake of #Metoo, we’re becoming increasingly aware of how many women suffer abuse in the workplace.

This inequality is something that radio, TV and podcast presenter Edith Bowman is altogether too familiar with. Like many others, throughout her career she’s worked with countless amazing women, but knows that the senior managerial roles are still largely occupied by men.

As an established figure in her industry, Bowman is now looking to help younger women, recently taking up chairing duties with the Bumble Presents: The Female Film Force panel, which is set to give grants to five up-and-coming filmmakers. “Anything that gives female film-makers a chance to see their vision through is a no-brainer for me really,” says the mum-oftwo, 44.

Film is an industry where inequality is particularly stark – at this year’s Oscars, just 15 per cent of the winners were women, which isn’t an anomaly. Here, Bowman tells us more about her own experiences with everyday sexism, and her advice for women in the workplace…

“Unfortunately, so many of the higher managerial positions have been taken by men, making it a lot harder for these positions to become available for women,” says Bowman.

She’s not entirely pessimistic about the future of industries like radio, TV and beyond, though – “With the focus being more on equal opportunities and equal pay, as well as campaigns shedding light on these issues, doors are being opened for women” – but is wary of how we go about bringing change. “Conversations have to be

0 Radio, TV and podcast presenter Edith Bowman

inclusive,” she explains. “If you exclude the men from conversations about change, then you’re just going around in circles.”

Though Bowman has luckily not experienced abuse personally in the workplace, she’s more than familiar with everyday sexism. “I’ve definitely witnessed things that come under the ‘old boys’ club’ mentality,” she says. “When I was starting out at my local radio station, it was very much a boys’ club, and when sexist remarks were made, I always ignored them.”

Thankfully for Bowman, things are changing – in part because sexism is being called out more, but also because she’s become more established as a broadcaster. “I think that’s something that has changed – women are more empowered in the workplace to feel like they can address issues and make it clear it’s unacceptable.”

For Bowman, one of the keys to overcoming everyday sexism is assertiveness across the board.

“It’s about making it clear from the start that you have strong values – you believe in equal opportunities across the board, and you expect and deserve to be treated like a human being and someone whose opinion should be heard. If you set out those ground

rules – which should honestly be the norm anyway – then hopefully things will change.”

As for how she broaches this herself, she adds: “I’ve always co-hosted with men, but I’ve always had a level pegging,” she says.

If women are going to achieve true equality in the workplace, Bowman thinks it should start at home. She herself was brought up in a female-dominated household, and says: “I grew up in an environment where it was equal – the women were running the ship probably more so than the men, so that was the norm for me.”

Now Bowman has children of her own – sons Rudy, 10, and Spike, five, with Editors frontman Tom Smith – she hopes to lead by example. “I don’t feel like I need to sit down and explain to my boys the role of men and women because they see that – I’m a working mum and we’re a team at home. There’s not a job that I do that my husband doesn’t do,” Bowman continues. “I do think it’s all about the environment that you create. That is what they inherit and it shapes how they go forward.”

“Igrewupinan environment where it was equal”

● Edith Bowman chairs the Bumble Presents: The Female Film Force panel, an initiative offering grants to aspiring female film-makers across the UK and Ireland. The finalists are: Alexandra Blue, Christine Hartland, Daisy Stenham, Emma Moffat, Emma Wall, Georgina Yukiko Donovan, Helena Sutcliffe, Karen Turner, Oluwaseun ‘Shey’ Osibowale and Pratyusha Gupta.