Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Public Relations

OVERVIEW OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

As the world in which we live globalizes on an extremely expedited scale, so does the opportunity to operate in a diverse society become available. First and foremost, that is how diversity and inclusion should be viewed: an opportunity. All too often it is viewed as a burden, something that an organization must tackle in order to stay relevant to new and ever diversifying populations. Instead, it should be an area that fills management with excitement, as true and effective diversity and inclusion efforts will completely change the workplace for the better.

Diversity and inclusion have become major buzz words in the last decade, increasing even more in the past few months. Because these words can often become emotionally charged, it becomes of the utmost importance to define terms. Dr. Carolyn Kim says that diversity and inclusion “begins with diversity, which addresses representation of difference—difference of identity, difference of background, difference of insight and perspective.”[1] She goes on to include Elizabeth Toth’s 2009 definition of diversity, saying “Diversity is about an awareness of and sensitivity to the intersections of race, class and gender, about seeing linkages to other categories of analysis, including sexuality, age, religion, physical disability, national identity and ethnicity, and about appreciating the disparities of power that produce social inequities.”[2]

Inclusion, however, takes on a whole different dimension to the conversation of diversity. Many diversity efforts fall flat because organizations stop only with diversifying the workplace and fail to utilize the voices and experiences that those individuals bring to the table. In effect, they are falling into the term coined first by Kanter in 1977: tokenism. Lynn Zimmer speaks of tokenism in her book, saying, “The term “token” has been used in a variety of ways that are related to Kanter’s use of the term. Perhaps Judith Long Laws (1975) can be credited with the first popularization of the concept with her analysis of the special problems faced by women who have entered the male-dominated academic setting. Laws’s focus on the token’s marginal status as a participant who is permitted entrance, but not full participation, makes the token similar to Georg Simmel’s (1950) “stranger”and Everett Hughes’s (1945) “outsider”:someone who meets all of the formal requirements for entrance into a group but does not possess the “auxiliary characteris- tics” (especially race, sex and ethnicity) that are expected of persons in that position. Conse- quently, they are never permitted by “insiders” to become full members and may even be ejected if they stray too far from the special “niche” outlined for them.”[3]

In summation, the relationship between diversity and inclusion is put most famously put by Vernā Myers, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”[4]

GENDER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS 

The definition of diversity and inclusion put forth encompasses a great deal of different aspects of diversity. It includes socio-economic diversity, religious diversity, racial diversity, and many more. However, this paper will endeavor to address just one area: gender diversity within PR. 

While at first glance it appears that public relations is one of the few industries that are doing great in gender diversity with sometimes even more women being employed in the industry (Figure 1), there are some underlying problems that cannot be seen by a mere gender breakdown. In an article in the Atlantic this is addressed, “At the tops of PR firms, it’s a slightly different story—several women mentioned that the executives are still predominantly male. In fact, the contrast between the workers and the c-suite is so dramatic as to be maddening. ‘It’s all women out there,’ said Sarahjane Sacchetti, who handles marketing for Secret. ‘And the two people running it are dudes. That’s the only thing that’s puzzled me and angered me for a long time.’”[5]

In the same article, Khazan goes on to describe a discrepancy in pay as well, comparing it also to journalism. “While female news reporters make $43,326, on average, (to men’s $51,578), female PR “specialists,” the lower-level job in the BLS categorization, make $55,705, while their male counterparts make $71,449.”[6]

As yet another article puts it, “It’s long been known that in terms of numbers, women dominate the PR industry. In the U.S., women make up 60-80 percent of the industry’s workforce. Yet they occupy just one in five senior positions, according to a variety of sources. Globally, only about 30% of the C-Suites of PR agencies feature a woman in the top chair.”[7]

This is a classic indicator that women have been “invited to the party” but not “asked to dance” in the public relations industry. If women are not paid the same or given the same opportunities for advancement and top leadership within organizations, than their voices are not being truly heard, and the door is left wide open for “gender harassment, sexual harassment, and overcoming the effects of token status.”[8]


There has been a long-standing and detrimental thought that men are more effective and suitable for leadership. However, a study conducted by the American Psychological Association showed, “This meta-analysis contributes to a recent debate in the literature regarding gender advantages in leadership effectiveness by showing that when all leadership contexts are considered together, there is a nonsignificant gender difference in leadership effectiveness.”[9]

In their book, Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn describe a phenonmion that happened in Rwanda, after the horrific genocide that occured in 1994. In the wake of the genocide, there was a general distrust in men, so laws were changed in order to allow women to be elected into parlament. In 2008, Rwanda became the first country to have the majority (55%) of women elected to parliament and in 2009, Rwanda was one of the fastest growing and least corrupt countries in Africa.[10]

The fact is that gender desrimination should not be present within the public relations industry. As shown above, the lack of women in leadership is detrimental to the growth of the organization or government that is excluding them. Even further, it goes against public relations as an industry. The Public Relations Society of America has a Code of Ethics by which all public relations practitioners should abide. They include “advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness.” However they also say that it is the duty of a public relations professional to “enhance the profession” of public relations.[11] The lack of women in high-ranking leadership and the discrepancy by which men and women are paid within the field of public relations violates the PRSA ethics of advocacy, loyalty, and fairness. However, it also means that the organization will not be able to enhance the profession of public relations as effectively because there is a major voice missing from the table. 

FAITH PERSPECTIVES AND GENDER DIVERSITY IN PR

Within the Christian worldview, the inclusion of women is prevalent as well. Throughout his life, Jesus of Nazareth bucked many of the social systems in place that excluded people, namely, women. In John 4:1-32 (NIV), Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman to whom he was culturally not allowed to talk to. He also honors the woman who anointed his feet with perfume in Luke 7:36-50 (NIV).

Throughout the Bible, beyond Jesus’ life on earth, there are more examples that women are to be treated with respect as they are also given gifts and callings to further the kingdom of God (1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)). Most notably Galatians 3:26-29 states, “ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” 

In Christian doctrine, there is a major tenet that says that all humans were created in imago dei, or, in the image of God. Therefore all must be treated with respect, for all are image-bearers of God. 

However, an argument can rise against this claim. Some believe that, being that God made Adam first, that men should always be in a place of power or leadership over women, for example, Colossians 3:18, “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” Therefore, some who believe this think that there should be no women in leadership as it would go against verses like this. This is a view called “complementarianism” and it is the belief that men and women are created for different purposes and different tasks, with men being tasked with leadership and women tasked with submission. 

While many arguments have been made against complementarianism, most notably, egalitarianism (or, the belief that men and women are equal and have been tasked with all of the same things), we can, for a moment, put this aside and speak from a complementarian perspective. If we agree to the complementarian point of view, it is, in its strictest and most original form, only pertaining to Christian households, or, husbands and wives, and, sometimes, the church. Complementarianism should never and was never intended to branch into the workplace. Within the original complementarian view, the only men that a woman would have to submit to would be her husband and her pastor, and all of those after submitting to the Lord. Therefore, even if we cater to a complementarian perspective, it does not mean that a woman cannot be in the highest-ranking leadership in an organization. 

Therefore, as Christians are tasked by James to not just be hearers of the word, but doers also (James 1:22 ESV) there need to be specific and actionable steps forward toward implementing gender diversity in the workplace. Here are some of the first steps towards creating an inclusive environment instead of one that is only diverse: 

  • The first is to assess where one is on an individual and organizational scale. Are there any systems that are set in your heart or on a bigger corporate level that would prevent women from thriving in the workplace? Why are they there? 
  • The second would be to humbly enter into conversation. For those who are in the power majority, this would mean sitting down and genuinely listening to peoples’ stories if they are willing to do so. This can be hard, but it is a vital step to moving forward.
  • From this, conversations have to be entered into with people who may not believe that women should be in leadership. Try to ask questions. Why do they think this way? What is at the root of the concerns they may have? Then try and address them best you can. It is okay if you address them at a later time. Sometimes you need to prayerfully consider what has been said and what has not been said in order to lovingly address what that person was saying. 
  • From here, you can start to address problems in a concrete way. There is no one-size-fits all approach to including women in upper-leadership and diversifying the voices at the decision-making table, so you must practice very humble listening and taking in of suggestions. This must be done in a way that addresses the needs and concerns of everyone in the organization, no matter where they fall on this issue. 

While these steps are just the beginning for a Christian PR practitioner aiming to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in upper management, it is an important start. It is also imperative that throughout the process, there is an abundance of listening with a humble and soft heart that is ready to adjust wherever there needs adjusting. Then and only then can there be real progress and more voices at the table. 

RESOURCES

Arenstein, S. (2019, January 16). PR News’ Top Women in PR Speak: On us and Industry to Close Leadership Gap. PR News.

Collica-Cox, K., & Schulz, D. M. (2020, September). A Token for Your Thoughts? Perceptions of Tokenism Among Female Corrections Executives. Criminal Justice Review, 45(3).

Khazan, O. (2014, August 8). Why Are There So Many Women in Public Relations? The Atlantic.

Kim, C. M. (2019). Public Relations Competencies and Practice. New York City, NY: Routledge.

Kristof, N., & WuDunn, S. (2009). Half the Sky. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Paustian-Underdahl, S. C., Slattery Walker, L., & Woehr, D. J. (2014). Gender and Perceptions of 

Leadership Effectiveness: A Meta-Analysis of Contextual Moderators. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(6).

PRSA Code of Ethics (n.d.). In Public Relations Society of America.

Sherbin, L., & Rashid, R. (2017, February). Diversity Doesn’t Stick Without Inclusion. In Vernā Myers Company.

Zimmer, L. (1988, February). Tokenism and Women in the Workplace: The Limits of Gender-Neutral Theory. Social Problems, 35(1).

[1] Kim, C. M. (2019). Public Relations Competencies and Practice. New York City, NY: Routledge.

[2]  Kim, C. M. (2019). Public Relations Competencies and Practice. New York City, NY: Routledge.

[3] Zimmer, L. (1988, February). Tokenism and Women in the Workplace: The Limits of Gender-Neutral Theory. Social Problems, 35(1).

[4] Sherbin, L., & Rashid, R. (2017, February). Diversity Doesn’t Stick Without Inclusion. In Vernā Myers Company.

[5] Khazan, O. (2014, August 8). Why Are There So Many Women in Public Relations? The Atlantic.

[6] Khazan, O. (2014, August 8). Why Are There So Many Women in Public Relations? The Atlantic.

[7] Arenstein, S. (2019, January 16). PR News’ Top Women in PR Speak: On us and Industry to Close Leadership Gap. PR News.

[8] Collica-Cox, K., & Schulz, D. M. (2020, September). A Token for Your Thoughts? Perceptions of Tokenism Among Female Corrections Executives. Criminal Justice Review, 45(3).

[9] Paustian-Underdahl, S. C., Slattery Walker, L., & Woehr, D. J. (2014). Gender and Perceptions of Leadership Effectiveness: A Meta-Analysis of Contextual Moderators. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(6).

[10] Kristof, N., & WuDunn, S. (2009). Half the Sky. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

[11] PRSA Code of Ethics (n.d.). In Public Relations Society of America.