INTRODUCING THE #DOYENNEMOMENT

The #MeToo movement — which is now morphing into the #TimesUp movement — exposed the ubiquity of sexual harassment in the workplace, with famous abusers in Hollywood, in the news media, and in Silicon Valley finally being held accountable.

But as we all know too well, sexism — and abuse, assault and harassment — knows no geographic boundaries.

TEMPO Milwaukee, a women’s professional network, surveyed its members and found that 68% of them reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace.

This is happening right here. We may not ever see Madison’s powerful abusers exposed or brought down in such spectacular fashion as Harvey Weinstein or Roy Moore, but that doesn’t mean their actions are any less reprehensible.

But harassment isn’t the only barrier to equality in Madison’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. All-male panels, all-male boards, executives who only consider women for relationship-managing positions, men who presume women’s ignorance, women who put other women down to advance themselves, and so many other instances of everyday sexism keeps the playing field steeply tilted in favor of the status quo.

The time is truly up for everyday sexism. We’re starting a campaign to draw attention to the moments that hurt the cause of women entrepreneurs in Madison, as well as those that move it forward, with the hashtag #DoyenneMoment.

We invite you to use your voice on every social media platform you use, to publicly call out both the good and the bad:

• Panel on entrepreneurship made up exclusively by white males? #DoyenneMoment
• Speech on women’s issues given by a man? #DoyenneMoment
• Startup founders create a product “for women” without ever consulting a woman? #DoyenneMoment
• Man at the gym provides unsolicited advice? #DoyenneMoment
• Panel features diverse mix of races, ages and genders? #DoyenneMoment
• Newspaper article about broad economic topics includes female sources and people of color? #DoyenneMoment
• Opportunities to learn coding, engineering, survival, or to engage with the outdoors are presented equally to girls and boys? #DoyenneMoment

We want to hear the specifics. If you attend an event that did not consider the racial and gender makeup of its speakers, call them out. And, when appropriate, invite the organizers to a conversation about the reason for this campaign.

Let’s end this nonsense together. We’ll feature a handful of your #DoyenneMoment posts in every newsletter until sexism in Madison is eradicated.