Today is International Women’s Day! What a day to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of women in the field of speech pathology. The theme of #InspireInclusion resonates deeply with us as we reflect on the journey of female speech pathology business owners.
International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is also a call to action for gender equality. This year’s theme, #InspireInclusion, highlights the importance of fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe all voices are to be heard and valued.
In the realm of speech pathology, women have played a pivotal role in driving innovation and advocating for our clients. From pioneering research to groundbreaking clinical practices, female speech pathologists have made significant strides in improving communication and quality of life for individuals of all ages and diverse backgrounds.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the power of women in speech pathology, the challenges they face in the business world, and actionable strategies for promoting inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Join us as we celebrate the achievements of female speech pathology business owners and empower future generations to thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
International Women’s Day and Speech Pathology
Being a female-dominated heathcare profession, speech pathologists haven’t faced too many personal challenges with gender-based inclusion in the workplace. We work with clients with communication difficulties to advocate for themselves in their everyday lives, at school or at work. We understand the need to feel a sense of belonging and work to disable barriers to inclusion. For example, speech pathologists support neuro-affirming practice and culturally responsive practices. Similarly, speech pathologists are often a part of gender affirmation services. Transgender and gender non-confirming people seek speech pathology services to help modify their voice and other communicative aspects. This is so their communication is more aligned with their gender expression. Although we have more to do, our profession is evolving to promote inclusivity and diversity with our clients.
Challenges Faced by Women in Business
International Women’s Day is the right time to focus on the unique challenges that face women in business. More and more speech pathologists are starting their own businesses unaware of these challenges. As a Business Consultant working with Speech Pathology business owners, I have identified two common challenges. Firstly, a common business challenge is financial empowerment. Despite our expertise in clinical skills, many female business owners do not have financial management business skills. Often, business owners are 18 months to two years into their business journey before they realise the importance of forging economic empowerment. I’m thrilled to share that this space is changing! In fact, more and more Speech Pathology business owners are signing up for our Speechies & Numbers workshop.
Secondly, many female business owners are finding the balance of family responsibilities and the demands of entrepreneurship challenging. Our Planning For Success workshop and our upcoming Your Ideal Week workshop will provide evidence-based strategies to help alleviate some of the stress of being a working Mum.
Celebrating Success Stories
International Women’s Day is a day for celebration, as well as awareness. So many speech pathology entrepreneurs come to mind when I think of successful women in business! First and foremost, Rebecca Reinking, Adventures in Speech Pathology, has contributed so much to support and empower the speech pathology community with her evidence-based practice and resources. Rebecca is the epitome of feminine leadership – she leads with heart, vulnerability, authenticity, and above all else, humility. While Rebecca is probably the most well-known, I have met countless other female Speech Pathology business owners with similar leadership behaviours. It makes me proud to be working with such high calibre Speech Pathology business owners.
Looking Ahead
Approaching this International Women’s Day I am filled with optimism. The work of our profession to promote inclusivity and diversity, together with so many examples of heart-led leaders, promises to bring hope to future generations of women and daughters. Days like International Women’s Day remind us to focus on solidarity, collaboration and gratitude. When we practice business in this way, we will drive positive change and advocate for gender equality, inclusivity and diveristy in the workplace.
#InspireInclusivity
