Get to know Ailish Breen – Coach and Facilitator

What’s been a defining moment for you in your career?

A defining moment in my career came when I was working in the charity sector, focused on education. I decided to study part-time for a master’s degree in Gender, Sexuality, and Culture alongside working full time. This experience completely transformed my understanding of how power operates in society. I began to see the ways that power shapes opportunities and life outcomes, but also how power often tries to conceal itself, making inequities seem natural or inevitable. This realisation gave me a new lens to see the world through, and I knew I wanted to spend my career uncovering these hidden structures of power and advocating for historically marginalised groups to gain more access to it. I pivoted into a job in Government working on Gender and LGBTQ+ equality policy and never looked back.

What’s your view on the current state of gender equity and inclusion for all gender identities?

Gender equity and inclusion have come a long way, but we’re also seeing more resistance to these efforts right now in a way that is worrying. There’s still a long way to go before we reach gender parity across the world, and we can’t afford to slow down or slide back now. Across the world we’re seeing an escalating backlash against reproductive and social rights, misogynistic statements in the media, and overall, more negativity towards gender inclusion. In the workplace this resistance can manifest as pushback against gender diversity programs and scepticism about their necessity. It’s more important than ever to keep educating people and standing up for the fact that gender equity benefits everyone, not just women and other marginalised genders.

What’s your own experience of barriers related to gender identity in the workplace, and what tips would you give to people navigating their own challenges?

As a transmasculine non-binary person, I suppose I do face some additional societal, organisational and personal barriers in my professional life. There are still many times when my gender identity isn’t fully respected or understood. I frequently encounter things like people getting my pronouns wrong or making assumptions about my identity. In public spaces, being stared at or even shouted at in bathrooms is regular reality, and these things can be emotionally draining if you’re already feeling tired that day. Living in a ‘cisnormative’ world (which means a world that assumes there are two gender and everyone identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth) is a constant invisible pressure for many trans and non-binary people. Shape Talent has carried out important research and work in this area and I’d encourage any change leader to read this white paper where we share valuable insights around how organisations can do better to improve experiences.

A few years ago, I got very burned out working on equality in a setting where it felt like my professional opinion wasn’t trusted as much as my cisgender peers. It was as though I was being seen as having less of an objective perspective, like I had some kind of hidden gender agenda! I’m sure many women can relate your perspective being less valid simply because of who you are. This can be frustrating, especially when we’re doing this work to advocate for a better world for everyone.

However, I’ve found that in many cases, the more I embrace my authenticity, the more powerful and effective I become. Being true to myself, despite the challenges, has allowed me to build confidence and resilience. I’ve discovered that sharing my experiences allows others to better understand the complexities of gender identity, which can help break down barriers.

My tip to anyone who feels that they’re seen as less valid than others sometimes would be to just surround yourself with colleagues, friends and people who make you feel seen and celebrated for who you are.

I’ve also become more intentional about setting firm boundaries, ensuring I take time for self-care, and choosing working environments where my expertise and contributions are valued.

What have you read recently?

I always buy fantastic non-fiction books on the topics of gender, race and equity… and they generally pile up on my bookshelf unread, as all I want to do when I get into bed is a read a novel which takes me somewhere else for a while!

However, I did recently re-read Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, to remind myself that creativity is a powerful and necessary force for envisioning a more inclusive world. Some friends and I were talking about imagination, and how can we forget that being able to tap into our most imaginative selves is important if we’re going to build something that didn’t exist before. If anyone has any other recommendations on this topic I’d love to hear them.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I live in the countryside where I go out hiking a lot, and I run a small outdoor non-profit that organises walking meet-ups and advocates for more inclusion in the outdoors. When I’m not walking or running up the lanes near my house, I like to just spend time with dear friends, curl up on the sofa with my partner and just try to slow down and enjoy being alive.

How important is it for organisations to incorporate intersectional perspectives into gender equity consulting work?

It’s essential and a huge opportunity to make your long-term inclusion strategy much more effective. Without looking through an intersectional lens, gender equity efforts risk being one-dimensional and may overlook the challenges faced by women of the global majority, LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled women, and others who don’t fit into a singular category. This can lead to policies and practices that don’t effectively address the needs of all employees, ultimately reinforcing existing inequalities and sometimes making them worse.

By applying an intersectional lens, organisations can develop more nuanced and inclusive strategies that respond to the real-life, diverse experiences of their people. Ultimately, intersectional perspectives ensure that gender equity work is effective and genuinely inclusive for everyone.