In the game Jeopardy, contestants try to guess what question has the answer given by a set of words. Let's do this here, what question or set of questions could have as an answer: More Female, Brown, and Queer?
There are trivial answers. There are some that need more thought. Yet, this game is a bit like a cognitive reflection test. There is a trick. So let me explain a complex answer first as later on, you will discover the rule for making a more female, brown, and queer world.
All questions will start with: What would the world look like if all the people who...
1- ..make decisions to harm the environment went to jail?
This one is obviously true, in many countries there are more CEOs named Peter or John than female CEOs. Most climate damage has been done by Western nations (at least historically although China is trying to change this). And it would not surprise anyone to realize that queer people have it harder to break the glass ceiling of the C-suite.
2- ...make decisions to start wars vanished?
This is clearly valid as it is just a generalization of the prior question. Climate change at the end is just a specific form of war in which we choose to destroy the habitats of every species and brown humans.
3- ... work to keep our companies and governments filled with patriarchal men left their offices?
I am left-handed. I remember a statistic of how after left-handed was allowed by society, the numbers skyrocketed. The same is true for queerness. The same is true for female leadership. We are in a world with tilted playing fields. But if we take the people who put their fingers in the balance and keep the tilt going, our leaders will be undoubtfully more female, brown, and queer.
4- ...have killed someone went to jail?
Here we start getting to the partial credit realm. That most people who are killed by someone die due to the choice of a man is clear. Yet, the homicide rate in China and India is as low as in Europe. The homicide rate in the US and Russia is similar to the one in the global South. And given that queer people, especially transpeople are killed disproportionally by straight men, I would argue that that the world would be queerer if all humans with homicidal tendencies were sent to jail. Partial credit.
5- ...harass sexually went to jail?
I said that it would get easier, clearly, this question works. However, it is unclear if sexual harassment is higher in the global north than in the south. I'd argue it is not. So partial credits here.
The last question is written in hope.
What would define the leaders of a better world look like?
In my experience, women are much better leaders, much better partners, and much better parents. It is clear that we socialize women to run our world and men to mess it up. The past statement cut against the grain of our socialization. Yet, deep down we all know it is true. Women might be more emotional at work but the reason is that emotions are needed when one is to choose to destroy the environment or plunder a nation.
The fact that our leaders tend to be white is a historical aberration that firms are realizing they cannot bankroll anymore. The browning of the TMT is real. Real not because we the brown are better. Real because we the brown are more. White is uncommon. So a more just and fair leadership would be one in which our leaders look like the people they lead.
Lastly, a better world needs courage. And it is common knowledge that courage rarely resides in the bodies of men. At least not in the bodies of cis-gendered heterosexual men. Courage involves standing for one's beliefs even against adversity. It involves fighting for your right to be there. Courage describes the queer. Who in their choices receive death threats. Who in choosing to be who they are losing their jobs. Lose. the chance to see their children. Mediocre is the word to describe those who believe that just for the fact of being pale and male they should rule the world.
The future needs courage, fairness, and better leaders. I thus argue that the future needs queerer, browner, and more female leaders.
