So Close and Yet so Far | Accelerate Success with Lorraine Moore

The year was 1975 – named by The United Nations named as International Women’s Year. I was 13 and my sister was 8. My mother told us we could be anyone and achieve anything in our lives that we wanted to. While happily married to our father, in her words, “At age 19, I moved from my father’s house to a house with my husband.” She did not (ever) experience living on her own, financial independence, or post-secondary studies.

Her encouragement contributed to two (often fiercely) independent women.

While we have different gifts (Karen is quiet, pragmatic, scientific and a skilled athlete) and have pursued different interests, we both lead fulfilling and adventurous lives grounded in our love of family and the outdoors. Both of us are self-reliant and I know that when I cast my gaze to new horizons and when I have pushed my way into uncharted territory, the memory of my mother’s voice floats in my awareness and subconscious.

I thought we/women would have achieved more by now.

We all know the stats. In Canada and the US, women remain under-represented in political office, in senior roles in all fields of science and in academia, in technology, in corporate directorships for public and private companies. A gender pay gap still exists. There are fewer opinion ed pieces authored by women. The representation is even more skewed for women of colour.

But here is what I worry about – that the important voices of #metoo, the commentary in the recent Canadian federal budget regarding more equal pay, and the March cover article in Maclean’s magazine are and will drown out the considerable progress that has been made.

If we are not careful, the volume of dissonance will overshadow our gains and may create lethargy – evidenced by male executives wary of hiring or promoting women for fear of backlash or potential accusations and women identifying as victims rather than as empowered people who can largely influence their own lives.

It is useful to discover our unconscious biases and to correct them. Transparency is important. Bad behaviour should be called out. In the meantime, let’s keep striving for equal representation of talented people in our C-suites, our hospitals, on boards and in political offices. And, take ownership of our daily decisions and choices as these create our experience.

43 years have passed. Forty-three years. Wow. We have accomplished so much.

If you are seeking inspiration, if your email inbox and social media have been overweighted with too many of the stories of where we have fallen short, where quotas have not been met, where representation is not yet as it could be, Google any of the women noted below. Their stories will inspire you. They faced the same obstacles that all of us have and continue to face. But, and it is a big but, they have built remarkable lives of contribution, inclusivity, integrity, and distinction – both professionally and personally.

Remarkable women, female role models, heroines, mentors and friends include: Catherine Bell (Alberta), Mary Barra (Michigan), Suzanne Bates (Massachusetts), Deb Close, (Alberta), Jennifer Doudna (California), Robin Fitzgerald (Ontario), Alison Grafton, Carol Kitchen (Alberta), JoeAnne Hardy (Saskatchewan) Linda Hohol, Gianna Manes, Lorraine Mitchelmore (Alberta), Nancy MacKay (British Columbia), Michele Obama (DC), Patricia Phillips, Sarah Raiss (Alberta), Shonda Rhimes (California), Cathy Riggall (Ontario), Andrea Robertson, Sue Riddell Rose, Ginni Rometty Kathy Sendall (Alberta), Meryl Streep Cathy Warner (Saskatchewan), Suzanne West (Alberta), Angela Merkel (Germany) and many, many more.

Yes, we have a long way to go and we have accomplished so much.

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