In this episode of The Pink Tax Podcast, we speak with Sarah Kaplan, a leading expert in gender and the economy. We discuss the persistent issues of gender inequality, the challenges of proving the business case for diversity, and the backlash against DEI initiatives. We need more innovative solutions to promote gender equality, and we must recognize caregiving roles in leadership. We also dove deep into what meritocracy is, whether or not we actually live in one and the limitations of meritocracy.

Sarah Kaplan and Jake Stika from Next Gen Men discuss how organizations that invested in diversity and inclusion before COVID-19 proved far more resilient during the crisis, showing that equity is a core business strategy rather than an optional add-on. The pandemic has exposed deeply gendered impacts, from women bearing disproportionate unpaid labor and domestic violence to men facing identity challenges as traditional roles are disrupted, revealing how systemic inequality shapes outcomes we rarely examine. The crisis presents a rare opportunity to rethink GDP, expand gender-based policy analysis, challenge consumerism, and open up rigid gender norms around caregiving and employment. Both speakers argue that recovery must be built through a gender lens from the start, because the window for meaningful systemic change is open right now.

At the beginning of 2019, a razor company released an that dominated social media and the news for over a week.  Since it aired, I’ve been thinking a lot about advertising’s place in the #MeToo era… and it’s role in promoting toxic masculinity over the years. But here’s the thing: It’s men and boys who Gillette’s ad needed to reach… but nearly all of its detractors were guys! So what are advertisers and brands missing here? And really, is it our job to figure it out? In this episode of The Coup with host Ron Tite, they explored in an interview with Sarah Kaplan how corporate — brands and their PR machines — continue to transform the way we see, think about, and perform masculinity.