Let’s talk about “Manels” — and what we’re doing about it

Hi there Toaster, 🐪

All-male panels, which we like to refer to as “manels”, are a glaring example of gender imbalance in professional and academic ecosystems. When a panel consists exclusively of men, it not only limits the range of perspectives and experiences shared but also perpetuates a system that sidelines the contributions of women and other diverse groups. Having a lineup of dudes in suits nodding at each other doesn’t quite spell ‘unbiased’ – it’s time to shake things up.

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Including women in panels does more than check a diversity box, it opens up new avenues of thought. Women bring unique insights and experiences and their perspectives lead to more holistic solutions. Diverse panels foster richer, more innovative discussions that reflect the diverse world we live in and the communities we aim to serve. Furthermore, when women and other underrepresented groups see themselves on panels, it reinforces the belief that they too can have a seat at the table.

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However, it doesn’t end at simply adding women to speaker lineups. When women do have a seat on a panel, they often face bias and are asked FAQs that their male counterparts are rarely, if ever, asked. Questions such as “How do you balance work and having kids?”, “What’s it like being a woman in tech?” or “How did you become a female founder?” These questions reinforce gender stereotypes and detract from the professional knowledge that these women bring.

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Last year, we decided to flip the script as we hosted an all-male panel at Vancouver Startup Week. Some of you reached out to us to express concern (thank you for that - this is the kind of outrage we need about manels), because how could a platform that preaches having women in every room contradict itself by hosting a panel called “Men in Tech”? However, our goal was to have the panel act as a satire of “Women in Tech”, where we took the questions that women are frequently asked on panels and instead, we asked them to four men in tech. We chose not to market the event as satire in the hopes of attracting a tech-bro audience. This was to prevent an echo chamber of those who are already allies to women, and instead highlight gender inequities in front of an audience that needed to hear it the most.

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Here's what went down at our manel:

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• Our moderator got to ask our male panelists questions about their home lives such as how a new baby affected their careers and how they earned their seats at the table while being a working dad.
• We asked other panelists about how difficult it must be to be a male-founder and how they manage crippling imposter syndrome. We also referred to one panelist as a “boss boy”.
• Some of the questions stumped our panelists because they had never been asked these things in front of a live audience.
• It was eye-opening for the audience to recognize that these are questions that are often asked of women and we don't realize how ridiculous they sound until they are directed at men.
• We hope everyone left with a commitment to give women a stage to talk about more than their gender or “work-life balance”.

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All-in-all, we need to not only be intentional about who is on our panels but also treat women panelists like the experts they are. No more questions that speak to a panelist's home life rather than their expertise. Diverse panels shouldn’t be an avenue for tokenism, but rather a means to reduce bias and add unique and thoughtful perspectives to the conversation. The world isn’t one-size-fits-all and the ideas and experiences that we amplify shouldn’t be either.

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And if you’re ready to be part of the change, join us this June at the Toast Summit — our first tech conference in Toronto. We’re bringing together brilliant women in tech, hiring managers, and forward-thinking companies for a day of real conversations, not just checkbox diversity. Think powerful panels (no manels in sight), networking that matters, and an environment built for collaboration, visibility, and action. Let’s build the kind of tech ecosystem we all want to see — together.

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Cheers,

Team Toast 🥂