Careers Quote by Laurie Penny
“Public ‘career feminists’ have been more concerned with getting more women into ‘boardrooms,’ when the problem is that there are altogether too many boardrooms, and none of them are on fire,”
About This Quote
Source Article: The Guardian, “Feminism and the Boardroom”, 2015
Calls for more women on boards ignore that the issue is over‑boardroom proliferation and lack of real change.
In simple terms: More women on boards isn’t enough if the boards are irrelevant.
Key Takeaway
Focus on meaningful reform, not just numbers.
Themes
feminism
leadership
institutional change
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- corporate governance
- activism
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
gender equity
organizational structure
political economy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure boards are effective?
- What alternatives to boardrooms exist for influence?
A Different Perspective
Increasing board numbers without purpose can perpetuate tokenism.
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