Busted

Indigenous entrepreneurship has existed across Turtle Island long before settler colonization. But today, there are still so many myths about Indigenous businesses — including the idea that Indigenous people aren’t entrepreneurs, that they rely on government handouts, and that they need to be taught how to build successful businesses. None of that is true. In fact, Indigenous entrepreneurship is thriving — and it’s rooted in long-standing traditions of innovation, sustainability, and community care. In this episode, we bust those myths and explore how Indigenous ways of doing business can challenge — and improve — how we all think about entrepreneurship.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured guests:  Dr. Jordyn Hrenyk, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Gender and the Economy, Rotman School of Management Sara Wolfe, Executive-in-Residence, Rotman School of Management and Institute for Gender and the Economy; Senior Fellow, Massey College; External Director, Wilson College for Leadership and Civic Engagement, McMaster University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

When most people think about philanthropy, they picture rich, often white, men, writing huge cheques for whatever cause they decide to get behind. And billionaire philanthropy has faced growing criticism: is it really philanthropy, or is it just a sneaky way for the wealthy to avoid taxes and reinforce inequality? But this perspective leaves out a much broader, richer history – one where women, members of racialized communities, LGBTQ+ folks, and others have long used the power of voluntary giving to contribute to the public good and drive important social change. In this episode, we speak to researchers who are challenging the dominant narrative, expanding our understanding of who gives, why they give, and how philanthropy has always belonged to more than just a select few.  Further research:Ackerman, J., Han, X., and Osili, U. (2024) Women Give 2024. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. https://scholarworks.indianapolis.iu.edu/items/b1a60723-37d9-41da-9556-4505270d9c8f Dale, E.J., Ackerman, J., Mesch, D.J., Osili, U.O. and Garcia, S. (2017). Giving to Women and Girls: An Emerging Area of Philanthropy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764017744674Rumble, T. and Numata, Y. (2023). Prioritizing restitution, Indigenous leadership, and the future with ‘restorative philanthropy’. The Philanthropist Journal. https://thephilanthropist.ca/2025/03/prioritizing-restitution-indigenous-leadership-and-the-future-with-restorative-philanthropy/ GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured Guests:  Jacqueline Ackerman, Director, Women's Philanthropy Institute, Indiana University IndianapolisDr. Elizabeth J. Dale, Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy, Grand Valley State UniversityProduced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we got a sense of how devalued care work really is. Care workers were, and still are, working long hours in poor conditions, for low pay, to support elders, children, and people with disabilities. These care workers provide some of the most essential labour in our society, but their work is often overlooked. We rarely stop to think about how much we rely on care, and how everything would fall apart without it. That neglect has consequences: care workers have been leaving the sector, and we’re now facing a global care crisis, with not nearly enough carers to support everyone who needs care. In this episode, we’ll be busting the myth that care work is low value, and talk about what it would look like if society recognized that our communities and economies are built on and sustained by care.  Further research:Prentice, S. & Armstrong, P. (2021, May 25). We must eliminate profit-making from child care and elder care. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/we-must-eliminate-profit-making-from-child-care-and-elder-care-159407 Thomas, C., & Lightman, N. (2022). “Island Girls”: Caribbean Women Care Workers in Canada. Canadian Ethnic Studies 54(1), 29-58. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/ces.2022.0004.GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Susan Prentice, Duff Roblin Professor of Government and Professor of Sociology, University of Manitoba Dr. Carieta Thomas, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Carleton University  Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

If you’ve been on social media lately, you might have seen some content about the tradwife movement and from tradwives themselves. Popular tradwife accounts post photos and videos of an idealized domestic lifestyle – taking care of children, cooking from scratch, baking bread, and keeping a clean and organized house – often with a feminine aesthetic that harkens back to the 1950s. They make beautiful content that showcases the value of “traditionally” gendered households, where men are the bread-winners and women are the bread-makers. It might be easy to think that this movement is simply about empowering women to return to tradition. But, when you dig deeper, there’s much more to the story. In this episode, we speak with researchers to unpack the tradwife movement, what it does, and who it really benefits.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Further research: Bower, L.J. (2024). The thorn in feminism’s side: black feminist reconceptualization and defence of #tradwives and the #tradwife movement. Journal of Gender Studies, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2024.2423198 Proctor, D. (2022). The# tradwife persona and the rise of radicalized white domesticity. Persona Studies 8(2), 7-26. https://search.informit.org/doi/pdf/10.3316/informit.873023567302359 Featured Guests:  Dr. Laura Jane Bower, Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier University Dr. Devin Proctor, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Elon University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

When we talk about an organization’s “case” for diversity, we’re talking about the set of justifications or reasons it gives for why diversity is an important organizational value. A common case that organizations make for promoting DEI is the business case for diversity: the idea that diversity is important because it boosts an organization’s bottom line. The business case seems harmless, or maybe even helpful, but research has found that using it to advocate for equality could, in some cases, be doing more harm than good. This episode debunks the myth that the business case for diversity is effective for creating equality for marginalized groups.    GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Further research:Georgeac, O.A.M. & Rattan, A. (2023). The business case for diversity backfires: Detrimental effects of organizations' instrumental diversity rhetoric for underrepresented group members' sense of belonging. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspi0000394.pdfSaha, A. & van Lente, S. (2022). Diversity, media and racial capitalism: a case study on publishing. Ethnic and Racial Studies 45(16). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2022.2032250Featured Guests:  Dr. Oriane Georgeac, Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations, Boston University Dr. Anamik Saha, Professor of Race and Media, University of Leeds Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

While anyone can experience ageism at work, research shows that women tend to have unique, and typically more severe, experiences. No matter how accomplished they are and no matter how effective they continue to be, older women are perceived as ageing out of relevance. It’s a different story for older men. They’re usually perceived as aging into wisdom and given more power and leadership opportunities.   In this episode, we’ll bust this myth—that older women should step aside while older men should step up—and explore the gendered nature of ageism.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Further research:Berger, E. (2021). Ageism at Work: Deconstructing Age and Gender in the Discriminating Labour Market. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Ross, K (2024). Gendered ageism in the media industry: disavowal, discrimination and the pushback. Journal of Women and Aging 36(1), 61-77. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08952841.2023.2238580Featured Guests:  Dr. Ellie Berger, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Nipissing University Dr. Karen Ross, Professor Emerita of Gender and Media, Newcastle University  Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

Many people think of AI as objective and neutral, something that not only makes our lives easier, but also helps us to eliminate the biases that plague human cognition and decision-making. While it’s true AI can do a lot for us, it’s a myth that AI is bias-free. In fact, AI can amplify the bias and perpetuate the inequality that is already rampant in our society. In this episode, we’ll explore how and why AI isn’t as fair as we’d like to believe, the consequences of bias in AI, and what responsible and ethical AI could look like.    GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured Guests:  Allison Cohen, Senior Manager, Applied Projects, Mila  Dr. James Zou, Associate Professor of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Stanford University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely 

Dr. Jen Gunter joined us at the Rotman School of Management to talk about her new book, Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation. In this conversation with GATE’s founding director, Dr. Sarah Kaplan, she discusses the many myths around menstruation and the impact that misinformation and stigma about menstruation have on women’s health and on society. Listen in to learn about how periods and reproductive health are linked to purity culture and patriarchy, as well as to social, economic, and political outcomes. GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Jen Gunter, OB/GYN, pain medicine physician, and bestselling author Dr. Sarah Kaplan, Founding Director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy, Distinguished Professor of Gender and the Economy, Professor of Strategic Management, and Fellow of the Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely

What does being LGBTQ+ have to do with your job? Actually, a whole lot. LGBTQ+ people face many barriers at work, and to being employed in the first place – like hiring discrimination, microaggressions, and lower earnings. And, if people feel like they have to hide who they are at work, it can take a huge toll. Sexual and gender identity are a part of who we are, and like other aspects of our identities, they affect how people perceive us and the opportunities we have. This episode busts the myth that being LGBTQ+ doesn’t matter at work.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Lee Airton, Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies in Education, Queen’s University Dr. Erin Cech, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Associate Professor by courtesy in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan Dr. Bianca D.M. Wilson, Associate Professor of Social Welfare, University of California Los Angeles Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely  

In Canada, only 30% of Members of Parliament are women, and only 16% belong to a racial minority group, well below their 26% representation in the overall Canadian population. On the other hand, white men are over-represented in political leadership, and that’s not only the case in Canada, but in many other countries as well. People may – consciously or subconsciously – think that that’s because women, racialized folks, and members of other underrepresented groups just don’t make good political leaders. But the reality is that there are a lot of factors contributing to the political underrepresentation we see today. In this episode, we’re going to be busting the myth that women and members of other underrepresented groups just aren’t suited to political leadership.    GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support by BMO.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Kristen Duke, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto Dr. Mirya Holman, Associate Professor, Hobby School for Public Affairs, University of Houston Dr. Erin Tolley, Canada Research Chair in Gender, Race, and Inclusive Politics and Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Carleton University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely  

Accessibility is about making information, resources, activities, and environments, well, accessible. That means that everyone should be able to engage with these things with minimal effort and as meaningfully as possible. Countries around the world including Canada and the US have adopted accessibility laws, but there’s still a huge disconnect between how important this issue is and how much attention it receives. Many people don’t think about accessibility at all. Or if they do, they think of it as a nice-to-have that’s kind of optional or that’s it’s just about accommodations and modification to physical space. This episode busts the myth that accessibility is optional. GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support by BMO.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, Head of Research and Chief Accessibility Officer, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Dr. Jutta Treviranus, Professor and Director, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely  

Care work is foundational to societies and to humanity. But even though everyone needs care, care work and those who provide it are often ignored, trivialized, or devalued. Why? Part of the reason is that care work is gendered: there’s a myth that care work is women’s work and that women just have the natural skill to be carers. In this episode, experts share research that shows that caring for others is a skill that anyone can and should learn – and if everyone participated in care, we could have more empathetic, healthier societies and relationships. Featured Guests: Dr. Taveeshi Gupta, Director of Research, Evaluation and Learning at Equimundo Dr. Darby Saxbe, Professor of Psychology at University of Southern California Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Edited by: Ian Gormely GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support by BMO. 

Overview: What causes the gender pay gap? Is it just because women are choosing lower-paying jobs? Are they just not qualified enough to make higher salaries? Think again. There are structural and historical dynamics that lead to unequal outcomes we observe in pay today. This episode with GATE founder, Dr. Sarah Kaplan, delves into how labour market biases influences the gender pay gap. This episode was written and produced by the team at Level the Paying Field, a podcast by Ontario’s Pay Equity Office. Visit https://payequity.gov.on.ca/ for more great resources, and listen to the rest of the podcast at https://levelthepayingfield.ca/. Featured Guest: Dr. Sarah Kaplan, Founder of Institute for Gender and the Economy Level the Paying Field Host: Kadie Ward, Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer, Ontario Pay Equity Commission Busted Producers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Busted Editor: Ian Gormely 

Episode 11: Special Episode–Dr. Tina Opie on Shared Sisterhood Overview: How can we make meaningful progress on equity and inclusion? Now that we’ve busted many different myths about gender and the economy, you might be wondering about more concrete steps you can take to change inequality in your workplace and daily life. On this special episode, Dr. Tina Opie shares three practices for dismantling systemic inequities from her book Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work, co-authored with Dr. Beth A. Livingston. This special episode was written and produced by the team at our sister podcast, Rotman Visiting Experts. Featured Guest: Dr. Tina Opie, Associate Professor of Management at Babson College; Founder of Opie Consulting Group Visiting Experts Host: Brett Hendrie Visiting Experts Producer: Megan Haynes Visiting Experts Recording: Dan Mazzotta Visiting Experts Editor: Damian Kearns Busted Producers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang Busted Editor: Ian Gormely 

Overview: There’s a perception that gender-based violence (GBV) only happens in the home, and that means it’s a private matter, just for families or partners to deal with. This is a misconception that can keep survivors from reporting violence and finding support. Gender-based violence is a human rights violation that encompasses many types of actions including harassment, assault, manipulation, and abuse. It can happen anywhere, including in workplaces, schools, and public spaces, and has significant consequences for all of society. In this episode, we hear from experts from different organizations working against gender-based violence to understand why it is not a private issue but something that everyone should be working to address.This episode is based on an event we held in December 2022 for the 16 Days of Action Against Gender- Based Violence. See a recap of the event here: https://www.gendereconomy.org/we-can-break-free-what- it-takes-to-challenge-gender-based-violence/If you liked this episode, you may be interested in other GATE events. Check out our upcoming listing here: https://www.gendereconomy.org/events/Featured Guests:Pam Hrick, Executive Director and General Counsel, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund; Harmy Mendoza, Executive Director, Women Abuse Council of Toront; Paulette Senior, CEO and President, Canadian Women’s FoundationProducers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia KangEditor: Ian Gormely

Since the pandemic, remote work has become much more commonplace, especially for knowledge workers. While it has many advantages for workers, remote work isn’t going to mitigate inequality unless organizations implement it purposefully and with the intention to prioritize well-being and equity for workers. This episode delves into the effects of remote work on workplace inequality and makes suggestions for better workplaces for all. This special episode was written and produced by Rotman Executive Summary and features GATE’s director, Sarah Kaplan, and Senior Research Associate Carmina Ravanera.Featured Guests: Dr. Sarah Kaplan, Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy, and Distinguished Professor of Gender & the Economy, Rotman School of Management, University of TorontoCarmina Ravanera, Senior Research Associate, Institute for Gender and the Economy, Rotman School of Management, University of TorontoRotman Executive Summary Producers: Megan Haynes and Jessie ParkRotman Executive Summary Editor/Sound Designer: Avery Moore KlossRotman Executive Summary Recording: Dan Mazzotta Busted Producers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia KangBusted Editor: Ian Gormely

If women just negotiated more, maybe they’d close the gender pay gap, right? Think again. While some popular media has characterized women as just needing to step up and ask for more to change inequality, research shows that when they do negotiate, they often face backlash for going against gender norms. In this episode, we discuss how people of different social groups experience different responses when they try to negotiate – and how women negotiate in many different ways beyond just for pay.  Featured Guests: Dr. Hannah Riley Bowles, Roy E. Larsen Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, Harvard Kennedy SchoolDr. Angelica Leigh, Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations, Duke University Fuqua School of BusinessProducers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia KangEditor: Ian Gormely

What makes a good leader? When you hear this question, do you think about traits like assertiveness, ambition, and determination?  A lot of people may be surprised to realize that as a society, we often associate good leadership with stereotypically masculine traits. In fact, a range of different traits—including both stereotypically masculine and feminine traits—make effective leaders. This episode delves into the myth that good leadership is masculine leadership and explores how we can facilitate more diverse and representative leaders across our workplaces and our societies.  Featured Guests:  Dr. Felix Danbold, Assistant Professor, University College London School of Management  Dr. Joyce He, Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations, University of California Los Angeles 

What is intersectionality, anyway? We’ll demystify it in this episode--and delve into the myth that gender inequality can have a one-size-fits-all solution. Intersectionality shows us how we need to consider how our different social identities such as race, gender, religion, Indigeneity, immigrant status, disability, and sexual identity all intersect to play a significant role in how we experience the world. So, rather than creating policies, services, and research that homogenize people, we need to make sure we apply intersectionality—or we risk leaving people behind. Featured Guests: Dr. Sharla Alegria, Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of TorontoDr. Courtney McCluney, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Cornell University

Sexual harassment is often portrayed as an issue that only concerns women, where women are victims of harassment because they were “asking for it” through their behaviours or dress. This portrayal puts the onus on women to stop harassment by simply changing their actions. . Yet, sexual harassment is not a “women’s issue” in the sense that victims can be of any gender and perpetrators tend to be men. This perception also ignores the reality that sexual harassment is often about having power and control over someone else. We bust this common myth to show that it is imperative that the social norms that drive harassment and toxic work cultures are addressed instead of blaming the actions of women. Featured Guests: Dr. NiCole Buchanan, Michigan State University Dr. Rachel Ruttan, University of Toronto Hosted by Alyson Colón and Carmina Ravanera For more research and resources please visit our website (https://www.gendereconomy.org) or click here . For transcript + show notes please visit out website (www.gendereconomy.org/Busted) or click here. This podcast is a GATE Audio production from the University of Toronto’s Institute for Gender and the Economy: www.gendereconomy.org