Who or what are 22s and what’s with the name?

Our name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the current gender pay gap. We’re a group of men who believe in the importance of gender equity and are committed to working to help achieve it. You can think of us as the men in Wharton Women in Business.

The 22s were started by Wharton Women in Business (WWIB) as an initiative to increase awareness, dialogue, and participation in the push for greater gender equity.

Why do we need such an initiative?

WWIB used to be a women-only initiative.  While WWIB continues to make great progress in raising awareness of gender inequality, student feedback indicated WWIB was leaving out an important constituency and source of advocacy – Wharton men.  The 22s is an effort by WWIB and Wharton men to address this concern. For many of us, it’s also part of recognizing that the burden of seeking greater social justice does not fall solely on the shoulders of those who are disadvantaged by the status quo.

I think what you’re doing is great, but why should I join the 22s?

HERE ARE TWENTY-TWO REASONS!

  1. Because driving change requires more than the well-wishes of a silent majority. Change relies on leaders who take action.
  2. To become a better leader who knows how to engage and support all people, especially women.
  3. For your mother, your sister, your wife, your girlfriend, your friends, or any other women in your life. What better way to demonstrate your admiration and care for the women close to you than to help build a more fair society for them?
  4. Because pay equity, parental leave, and issues of work-life balance affect men as well as women.
  5. Because gender stereotypes restrict men’s ability to be themselves, just as they do women’s.
  6. Whether you’ll be working in a male-dominated industry or simply out drinking with your bros, you have access to environments and opportunities to communicate with other men in ways that women often don’t – use that privilege to do good.
  7. Serving as a 22 is a great way to gain experience advocating for others: a skill that doesn’t get much air time at Wharton, but which can be immensely valuable as you navigate roles and positions that will challenge you to understand and engage audiences very different from yourself.
  8. Get noticed. How many resumes list travel, cooking, and skiing as interests? Or ramble off the same bunch of relevant – but boring – professional clubs? All of them. But ask any 22 about their experience when a recruiter sees “Women in Business – Male Representative” and they’ll tell you how many (memorable) conversations your participation can spark.
  9. Help shape a growing organization. The 22s are just one year old – we’ve got a lot of growing to do, and you can help us navigate the strategic and tactical decisions that will enable us to have maximal impact, or confine us to simply meandering along.
  10. Leave a legacy. We’re in our infancy, remember? What if you could have organized the first Fight Night, written the first Follies, walked the first Walnut Walk? Now’s your chance to create something that future classes will regard as an institution.
  11. Be you a person of color, LGBTQ, from a disadvantaged socio-economic background, Jewish, Muslim, LDS, first-generation, someone who has lived in a foreign country, or simply left-handed, you may have first-hand experience existing in a society that treats you as something other than the “default” demographic. If you have, you know the power of having allies.
  12. Because as hard as it tries, Wharton’s MBA program is still only 40% female and its faculty are only 25% female.
  13. Because only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 12% of senior PE executives, and 4% of partners at VC firms are female. Men, too, play a vital role in advocating for, sponsoring, and mentoring women in business, especially in industries where they have been historically underrepresented.
  14. To build new friendships. As an organization, we seek not only to advocate for a social agenda, but to support our members in building strong bonds amongst themselves and fostering deep camaraderie.
  15. Overcoming our own subconscious biases and leading an authentic and fulfilling life requires self-examination. The 22s will help you turn your gaze inward, as well as examine the society we inhabit.
  16. Superman stands for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Will you stand for Equality?
  17. Sometimes the example we set can embolden others to follow our lead.
  18. Get the chance to collaborate with our staff advisor, Eric Morin, and our faculty advisor, Adam Grant. As well as professors Stewart Friedman, Matthew Bidwell, and others who have performed research in the areas of gender and work/life balance in the management context.
  19. Take the chance to learn about a subject that might be unfamiliar to you.
  20. Macroeconomic research suggests that improved labor-force participation by women could add 5% to US GDP.
  21. Harvard has the Manbassadors. Stanford has the WIMmen. Our ball, Wharton.
  22. Because it’s the right thing to do.