Fatherhood on Friday: Forbes’s “100 Innovative Leaders” list included only one woman, but the blowback will get more women into the Rooms Where It Happens.

Dad 2.0

Sep 13, 2019·4 min read

We want to begin this week by flicking the nose of Forbes magazine, whose recent list of America’s 100 Most Innovative Leaders included only one woman (who apparently lacks a face). This isn’t just tone-deaf; it’s straight-up wrong. We learn from innovative women all the time, in the news, on podcasts, and on our own stage. And so much of what we’ve achieved derives from the friendships we’ve made at conferences like BlogHer, Blissdom, Type A-and our forever besties at Mom 2.0 Summit, who have nurtured us since birth.

You don’t have to look far to see where this all went sideways, because the methodology basically boils down to: 1) are you a CEO? 2) Do many people know you’re a CEO? 3) Do those people think you’ll make them richer? You don’t need to be a chief executive anything to “monetize innovation.” And since the “record high” number of female CEOs in the Fortune 500 is still only 6.6%, maybe expand your study beyond such a restrictive data set. (A woman on the byline couldn’t hurt, either.)

At this point, we want to repeat one of our core convictions: If you believe women should be taken seriously as entrepreneurs, legislators, and executives, it follows that men should be taken seriously as caregivers. If you want to bend the river, it pays to disrupt its current from both shores.

The good news is that, after a swift and sizeable response, Forbes has acknowledged they screwed up. They’ve resolved to reassess their criteria, and women are more motivated than ever to press for a fair shake. All of which reinforces another core conviction, that the dialogues elevated and accelerated by social media are still the best way to effect the changes we want to see.

OUR CALL FOR SPEAKERS ENDS SUNDAY!

Another month of submissions is about to draw to a close, as the Dad 2.020 Call For Speakers and Ideas ends Sunday, September 15, at midnight ET. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been writing for 50 years or five minutes, if you’re a man or a woman or don’t identify as either, if you’re coming to DC or live on the other side of the planet. If you care about the dad(s) in your life, now’s the time to tell us what’s on your mind, pull up your socks, and press SEND.

IN THE NEWS

Is your high school student freaking out about applying to college? This primer from a high school teacher can calm their nerves. (Yours, too.)

According to Jessica Lahey, Pressured Parents Syndrome is a real thing. (And frankly, we’re not down with PPP.)

And seriously, what’s the deal with college tuition? Student debt is changing the American family.

“I want every child to understand that whatever condition they bear in life, they are special in a good way.”

“I am trying to cry as much as I can in front of my children. I think that’s really important, to show that I as a dad can be vulnerable, that I can be also afraid of something. I want them to feel comfortable crying in front of me.”

“Families don’t want to be tolerated. They want to be expected, welcomed, accepted, and supported for who they are.”

The Manconomy is here, and it’s booming.

Now that school has started, parent-teacher conferences aren’t that far away. Are you ready?

First day of school was the event of the season.

PORCHLIGHT POSTS

• “I had vowed to never be late to pick up my kids and to be a strong and dedicated father. But here I was — late, and crying. I was a failure.” — Devan Sandiford, Coming to Terms With Being An Imperfect Dad
• “People like to talk a lot about the dreaded roommate phase of marriage, but I don’t think that term is strong enough for what can happen to your relationship after kids.” — Jared Bilski, I Had No Idea How Hard Marriage Would Be With Kids
• “As they grew up and started learning about 9/11, it was difficult to convey the shock, fear, and anger felt by so many Americans at the time.” — Vincent O’Keefe, First Responders’ Heroism a Lesson for Children on 9/11
• “When my daughters get old enough to understand the significance of this day I will help them understand, but it will not be easy for them to grasp the severity of the events and what it did to the American Spirit that followed.” — Christopher Lewis, 9–11: Honoring the Past. Where Were You 18 Years Ago?
• “Stay-at-home dads still aren’t common, but we are no longer unheard of. I’m still a bit of a novelty when I volunteer at the school book fair or take my kids to the playground on weekday mornings, but I’m not a complete outlier.” — Andrew Knott, The Identity Crisis of the Stay-at-Home Parent When the Kids Go to School

‘GRAM OF THE WEEK

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Originally published at https://www.dad2summit.com on September 13, 2019.