Women In Digital Founder Holly Hunt: Navigating The DEI Divide

When prolific advocate and actress Jane Fonda collected a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month, she said in her acceptance speech: “Woke just means you give a damn about other people”. A few years ago, you wouldn’t think such a simple sentence would stir up such a big reaction online. Today, it’s almost inevitable.

‘Woke’ culture came from a place of inclusivity and acceptance of all, no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation or background. But over time, it’s evolved into a whole different beast.

Woke culture has become a polarising political issue characterised by extremes; woke versus anti-woke or ultra-left versus extreme right. At this point, diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) has evolved into a loaded phrase. The words often evoke a flurry of discourse, opinions, debates and occasionally a head in the sand – this is especially evident with Donald Trump’s recent Executive Orders surrounding DEI initiatives, and how the world has reacted.

The question begs: where did woke go wrong? I’d argue that the call came from inside the house.

If we cast our minds back to the early 2000s, the term ‘politically correct’ was not part of everyday vernacular. These days, it’s a regular part of daily discourse. Don’t get me wrong, it’s completely understandable where this stemmed from. There were huge red flags in the language used by mass media, influential figures, and everyday people when it came to diversity, be it via casual sexism, racism, body shaming or homophobia. They were rightfully called out and steered in a better direction.

But in the fight for better diversity, equity and inclusion, the progressive movement has become too rigid. If you don’t use the right language or keep up with every evolving rule on every progressive topic, you risk being ostracised—even if you’re an ally.

One of my greatest male allies in business has been attacked multiple times for using the “wrong” language. Now, he no longer speaks up—not because he doesn’t care, but because he’s afraid of the consequences if he makes a mistake.

Even for me, as the founder of Women in Digital, I’ve felt ashamed if I’ve forgotten to use someone’s correct pronouns. If it’s hard for me as a keen diversity advocate, imagine how daunting it is for someone who’s less engaged in the movement.

I recently mentioned this sentiment to two strident DEI advocates and they argued that men had had it good for so long that it was rightfully women’s turn. In some ways, I agree. But I also reminded them that men haven’t necessarily intentionally set about to suppress women or create inequality. They’ve been born into privilege and societal constructs that have existed for centuries. It can be difficult for anyone to stomach changes to what you’ve always known, so with that perspective in mind, it’s understandable that there is resistance from men. It’s critical we find ways to engage men without alienating them.

So, how do we move forward? Ironically, with better acceptance. Instead of saying, “If you’re not 100% with us, you’re against us,” we need to find ways to bring everyone along for the journey.

In Women in Digital’s 2024 Discourse, we found that nearly 52% of respondents said they were significantly outnumbered by men in their workplace. Nearly 40% of women reported an entrenched boys club within their organisation and 49% said they had experienced some type of gender bias in an interview.

Contrast this with findings from 61% of respondents who agreed that men are supportive of women and their career paths within their workplaces. It’s a little confusing, right? This shows there’s a disconnect between intent and action. If we dive a little deeper into the industry’s demographics, we might get a little more clarity.

Men outnumber women in digital and technology-dominant workplaces and overwhelmingly hold positions of power. Straight, white, able-bodied men between the age of 40-69 represent 8.4% of the population yet represent the majority of Australian leadership. But as I said before, I see a growing trend of men not willing to speak up on these topics out of fear they won’t say the exact right thing.

A diverse workforce is critical to the success of the tech industry. So, if we’re to change the status quo, create more inclusive workplaces for all, and see more women in leadership in future, we need to bring all our present leaders – yes, the majority of which are males — on the journey with human, judgement-free conversation.

Here’s how we do it:

Firstly, drop the labels. Labels like “white privilege” shame people rather than inviting them into the conversation. Instead of “minority rights,” we should be talking about human rights, equal pathways and a fair human experience for all.

Second, speak in the language of power. We live in a capitalist world. If we want companies to care about our agenda, we need to show its real economic value beyond academic studies.

And finally, stop gatekeeping progress. Not everyone is fluent in the language you speak. Instead of punishing allies for imperfection, let’s appreciate others’ efforts and help them grow. Assume positive intent. Focus on the progress we’ve achieved and how everyone has contributed.

True, not everyone will be an advocate. But if my experience running Women in Digital has taught me anything, it’s that the ripple effect of just one ‘manbassador’ goes far and wide in the industry. Sometimes, that one potential manbassador just needs a safe place to land and learn, so they feel equipped to navigate this complex topic without fear of repercussion.

Change is possible. Finding our way back to that sweet spot of the diversity debate is possible. It just might take a little work, and a few olive branches to help us get there.

The Women in Digital Discourse Survey for 2025 has launched this month and I’m hoping to see an improvement in the disconnect we saw in 2024. I encourage you to be part of the conversation by completing the survey and contributing to the data insights that are critical to shaping our industry.

This opinion piece “Navigating the DEI Divide’ is written by Holly Hunt, Founder & CEO, Women in Digital.