50/50 Day Unveiled Tool with 50 Actions Anyone Can Take to Achieve Gender Equality
Over 35,000 events in 60 countries to take place on 50/50 Day 2018; Livestream to feature appearances speakers and supporters such as Patricia Arquette, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Jada Pinkett Smith, Matt McGorry, and Sallie Krawcheck
A new online tool featuring 50 action pledges anyone can take to move the world closer to gender equality, along with follow-up inspiration and resources to ensure they fulfill their pledge, was unveiled today by the organizers of 50/50 Day 2018, a global day of action and conversation about gender equality on April 26, 2018.
More than 35,000 events at schools, companies, and organizations in 60 countries will take place on the second annual 50/50 Day. A livestream linking all events will feature appearances by Matt McGorry and Kimberlé Crenshaw (6:00 pm ET), Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck (5:30 pm ET), and Patricia Arquette from the ERA Coalition’s 50/50 Day event in New York City (6:30 pm ET). Events will feature discussions about gender equality and film screenings of 50/50 and the new short film Why I Pledge 50/50. Events will culminate with participants committing to an action pledge. Prominent supporters of 50/50 Day also include Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation’s Jada Pinkett Smith and President Jana Babatunde-Bey.
The 50/50 Day Action Pledge tool was created by the 50/50 Day team in partnership with global digital marketing agency April Six. The pledges and resources were contributed in collaboration with leading equity organizations like the ERA Coalition, United State of Women, African American Policy Forum, and A Call to Men and 50/50 Day partners like Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Mount Saint Mary’s College, Sarasota Military Academy Prep, Refinery29, and others.
The 50 action pledges are customized for different types of people, such as leaders of companies, educators, parents, adults, and young people, and offer pledges that people can make to address gender inequality in five key areas: politics, economy, identity, culture, and home.
Action pledges include:
- I pledge to ensure my company’s board and senior team are 50 percent women.
- I pledge to register and vote in all elections, from local to national.
- I pledge to include an equal number of male and female figures in my course curriculum.
- I pledge to connect two women or other underrepresented people with mentors.
- I pledge to ensure the division of labor, including caretaking, is balanced in my family.
Available in six different languages, the pledge tool enables users to share their pledges on social media and engage with a global map showing the location and concentration of other pledge-makers throughout the world. To help people fulfill their pledges, users can also choose to receive periodic reminders and encouragement to follow through on their pledges.
“We want to inspire people everywhere to make the leap from awareness to action by committing themselves to doing at least one thing to advance gender equality in their community, business, school, home, or personal lives,” said Tiffany Shlain, a co-founder of 50/50 Day. “Our goal is to show that everyone has a role to play in creating a more balanced, just, and fair world and that we need to work year-round to move us closer to gender equality.”
Any individual, school, company, or organization can still organize a 50/50 Day event and receive free resources including short films for screenings, and discussion kits by officially registering a 50/50 Day event online here.
The idea for 50/50 Day was sparked by Webby Awards founder and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, who directed the 2016 film 50/50, which is produced by Refinery29 and part of their Shatterbox film series. The day was co-founded by Sawyer Steele and Julie Hermelin, and co-created with partnership director, Makenzie Darling and countless partners with activists in the field.