A women’s empowerment coach believes that, in many cases, it is unconscious biases that are making women feel unwelcome in the industry.
Tonya Whittle says in many cases women will feel excluded from the “bar talks” and other social events—she says they often won’t go because they may be the only woman in the room, for example.
Another example of unconscious bias, she explains, are the types of PPE available on a job site.
She says a lot of PPE isn’t designed for women or their bodies, and she questions how they can have women in the industry if they don’t have gear that is designed for them.
Whittle says progress on that front is being made, noting that in many cases when employers are made aware of the issues they work to address them.
She says they are seeing things like port-a-potties, gloves, and other equipment being redesigned to better accommodate women.