Some have been calling it the year of femininity. Millions flooded cinemas bedeckedAdorned or decorated with. in pink and glitter to see Greta Gerwig's Barbie, as the director became the only solo female director in history to have a movie make over a billion dollars globally. Taylor Swift's Eras tour is set to become the highest-grossing global tour in history, with Beyonce following closely behind.

But although women have stormed the music and entertainment industries this year, they face major barriers elsewhere. New research shows the UK's top firms have women in only one in five commercialRun or maintained to make a profit. roles. Fewer than one third of UN member states have ever had a female head of state.¹

Some say this makes women's achievements even more impressive. The Financial Times has compiled a list of 25 influential women who are shattering glass ceilings and making strides across different industries.

The list includes actor and producer Margot Robbie, musician Beyonce, president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and athlete Coco Gauff.

There are also lesser-known names on the list. There is Phoebe Philo, who designs clothes "for the female gaze", eco-friendly biotechThe use of biology to develop new products and technology. entrepreneur Lisa Dyson, and Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist and Nobel laureate.

These are all causes worthy of celebration. But some say we should not let lists, medals and accolades give us a rose-tinted view: women are still being held back. The achievements of a lucky few do nothing to mitigate this fact.

Research from 2020 showed that 91% of men and 86% of women are biased against women in relation to politics, economics, education, violence, or reproductive rights.² Women still only have three-fourths of the legal rights that men have. Experts think it will take another century to reach full gender parityEquality. - beyond all of our lifetimes.

Some even think that we are regressing. New research shows that one in five people around the world believe that men have missed out as a result of feminism.

The evidence is tenuousFragile or unconvincing., but the feelings are widespread. Many men see gender equality as stripping their powers, not broadening their opportunities.

But the benefits of a gender-equal society are not reserved for women alone. When there is more gender equality, men are half as likely to be depressed, less likely to commit suicide, and less likely to die a violent death.³

Both women and men may stand to live longer and be happier. In 2021, research showed that each 10% increase in the modified gender gap index was correlatedLinked with, connected with. with a 3.6-year increase in women's life expectancy and a 2.9-year increase in men's.

For as long as we maintain structuralOrganisational or systemic. sexism, we are losing out on prosperityHaving lots of wealth and success. too. Global GDP could increase by 26% if we closed the gaps between women and men in the workforce. In the UK, if women's participation in the workforce were fully equal to men's, each of us could be £15,000 wealthier.⁴

Yes: As women and men become more equal, the statistical evidence shows us that men's lives become better too. We all stand to gain from celebrating the influential women in our society.

No: There is no need to segregate these kinds of lists by gender. We should celebrate men's and women's achievements equally, without privileging women's.

Or... We should not even pose the question. We do not measure men's achievements by how good they are for women; why should we do this for women's achievements?