On March 8th, International Women’s Day was celebrated around the world, recognizing the achievements of women and advocating for gender equality in the workforce. P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) honored this day by showcasing some of their members who have pierced the glass ceiling and found success in male-dominated fields.
One such success story is Captain Sandy Yawn, who will be featured as the summer 2023 Cover Girl for P.O.W.E.R. Magazine. Captain Sandy is known for her work on the Bravo hit reality television show “Below Deck Mediterranean,” where she is in charge of the yacht’s crew and responsible for the safety of the passengers. As a female captain in a male-dominated industry, Captain Sandy is a true trailblazer.
Another inspiring woman in a male-dominated field is Jessica Kirson, who graced the pages of P.O.W.E.R.’s winter 2023 Magazine. According to a recent study by Zippia, only 11.3% of stand-up comedians are women. However, Kirson has defied the odds with sold-out shows, comedy specials on Comedy Central, appearances on major talk shows, and even acting in and consulting on the Robert De Niro film “The Comedian.” Kirson’s success shows that women can be just as funny and talented in comedy as their male counterparts.
P.O.W.E.R. member Rachel Gibbs is another woman who has found success in a male-dominated field. As a two-time best-selling author in the finance industry, Gibbs has been featured in numerous media publications for her books, including “How to Architect Your Kids’ Financial IQ” and “Financial Literacy Decoded.” Remaining humble, Gibbs is most proud of her work with Gibbs Financial Fitness, a company she founded to teach financial literacy and management to underserved communities.
Women are also underrepresented in the music industry, particularly in the field of music creation. However, P.O.W.E.R. member Jenna Andrews has broken through as a songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. She co-wrote the #1 hit single “Butter,” for the South Korean group BTS, produced vocals on their Grammy-nominated hit “Dynamite,” and co-wrote and co-produced their hit “Permission to Dance” with Ed Sheeran. Andrews has also worked on movie soundtracks, including writing the lead single for the latest “My Little Pony” movie.
Even closer to home, my 24 year-old niece, Alexa Wahl, is breaking barriers in the field of aircraft piloting. This industry is listed as the most male-dominated industry by Fairygodboss!, the largest online career community for women. Alexa currently teaches students how to fly ‘single engine land’ at SUNY Farmingdale’s Aviation Center. She has about 500 hours of flight time and is halfway towards the time needed to be eligible as an airline transport pilot. At her young age, Alexa is already an ambassador for Republic Airways, representing Delta, United, and American Airlines, and serves as a direct liaison between her students and the airlines. In ten years, Alexa’s goal is to be a captain for one of the major U.S. airlines.
P.O.W.E.R. Magazine is proud to feature all of these women who are pushing the envelope and opening doors for the women that will come after them. Unfortunately, despite the progress made by these and other women, there is still much work to be done to close the gaps in other male-dominated industries such as agriculture, architecture, clergyship, construction, firefighting, information technology, manufacturing, and software development.
In order to break through the barriers of these male-dominated professions women need to seek out opportunities for growth within their organization, find mentors and male allies, speak up in meetings, ask for raises and promotions, network, and join industry organizations and associations.
But, the burden should not only be on women. Organizations can also take steps to promote gender diversity and inclusion. Companies should establish a gender and diversity task force, actively seeking talented female candidates for leadership and other positions, create mentoring and other opportunities for women within the company, build employee resource groups (ERGs) that ask employees what they need and want to feel included, and evaluate how the company is doing through employee surveys and other data.
By taking action at both the individual and organizational level, we can continue to push for progress in the future. In the meantime P.O.W.E.R. Magazine will do its part by continuing to feature our talented, intelligent women, and highlighting their achievements. They are an inspiration to us all, showing us that with hard work, perseverance, and dedication, anything is possible.