Toputitinoneword,thedifferenceliesin“numbers.”Somemaysay,“Arenumberssuchabigdeal?”Imaginethefollowingscene.Asinglemaleleader(inhisfiftiesorsixties)entersameetingroomoftheupperechelonsofthedecision-makingbody.Hefinds90%oftheseatsoccupiedbywomen.Or,inanotherscene,90%oftheseatsareoccupiedbyforeignersandmenandwomenintheirtwentiesorthirties.Allthememberscarryonpolitelyinthemeetingandpayattentionwhenthemanspeaks.Buttheyallseemtosharemanycommonalitiesinthetoneoftheirvoices,theirwaysofspeechandthinking,theirconcernsandcultures,theirlivesandsocialexperiences,andsocializinghabits.Moreover,theyseemtocareaboutthingsthataredifferentfromwhatthemancaresabout.Atsomepoint,theman’svoicebecomesaminorityvoice,andhestartsfeelingawkwardandisolated.Thisimaginaryscenarioiswhatawomanleaderexperienceseveryday.PerhapsyoualreadyknowthattheartistVincentVanGoghpaintedmanypicturesofirises.Amongthem,thefirstonehepaintedwhenheenteredanasyluminFrancefeaturesasinglewhiteirisamongahostofblueirises.Thewhiteirisstandsoutamongtheblueonesandconveysagreatsenseoflonelinessandisolation.IstartedworkinginJapanassoonasIreceivedmyPh.D.intheUS.HenceIhadneverexperiencedbeingawomanleaderoverseas,andIdonotwishtoglorifyoridealizethesituationoverseas.ButthefactiswomenleadersintheupperechelonsofJapaneseacademiaareanextrememinority,andthecurrentsituationisnotareflectionof“genderequality.”Genderbalanceisnotaboutoneoracoupleofwhiteirisesamidstaprofusionofblueirises;itisaboutwhiteandblueflowersbloomingtogetherandthrivingwithvigorinthefield.Thecurrentdecision-makingbodyoftheJapaneseacademicworlddoesnothavegenuinegenderequality.Itisstillatanearlystage,whereinmaleleadersponderoverhowtheycancopewiththe“alienspecies”or“thealiencultureofwomen.”Womenwholeadinamale-dominatedenvironmentoftenfeeltheunspokenpressureto“actlikeaman.”Butwomenwhoassimilatewithmen—womenwhobecomelikemen—willnotmakegoodleaders.“Diversity”isatrendywordthatsoundscool,butitisnotaneasypathtotread.Ifwefollowexistingtracksandconventions,wewillnotbeabletoadvocatediversity.Agender-balanceddecision-makingbodyisthefirststeptodiversity.Toaimforthat,wemuststartwithsettingtargetnumbersandgoals.WhatpercentageoffemaleleadersintheupperechelonsofJapaneseacademiawillbringusclosertoastateofgenderbalance,Iwonder.Ofcourse,inadvancedcountriesoverseas,thereisstilltherealityofa“glassceiling,”butmanycountriesareconsciouslypromotinga“quotasystem”andcreatinganenvironmentconduciveforwomenleaderstothrive.Indoingso,theymovestepbysteptowardsthegoalofgenderbalance.SuchdeterminationisyettobeseeninJapan.29Dean(2021~)andProfessorintheFacultyofLiberalArtsofSophiaUniversity.ShereceivedherB.A.fromCornellUniversityandM.A.andPh.D.fromYaleUniversity,andherfieldofresearchismodernandcontemporaryJapaneseliterature.SheservedasDeanoftheGraduateSchoolofGlobalStudies(2009-2011),VicePresidentforAcademicExchange(2011-2014),DirectoroftheOfficeforthePromotionofGenderEquality(2011-2014),DirectoroftheacademicjournalMonumentaNipponica(2013-2014),andChairoftheDepartmentofLiberalArts(2019-2021).Vincent van Gogh, “Irises”TheDifferencebetweenWomenLeadersOverseasandinJapanFromAngelaYIULetaMyriadWhiteFlowersBloom!
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