Better Allies

A bold red-and-gray graphic promoting the ‘5 Ally Actions Newsletter’ from Karen Catlin. On the right, there’s a stylized illustration of a Black woman sitting at a desk with a computer. Above her, red text reads: ‘If someone says a Black woman has unprofessional hair,’ and below, gray text: ‘I’ll speak up and ask, “Is this about job performance? How does their hairstyle affect their work?”’ The illustration is signed ‘Drawing by @ninalimpi and @betterallies’.

What do hair styles, podcast guest lists, and the phrase “grammar Nazi” have in common?

They’re all everyday places where allyship matters.

In the latest "5 Ally Actions" newsletter, I share actionable shifts that make workplaces better, more human, and more fair.

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EU Statement on Equality in response to Trump admin issuing new rules saying DEI infringes on human rights in foreign countries

🔥 BREAKING: A spokesperson for the European Commission messaged me today about the EU's commitment to "equality" in response to the Trump administration issuing new rules saying countries with DEI policies are infringing on human rights. A Commission spokesperson messaged:

Few women named as authors on retracted medical studies, analysis shows Women are underrepresented among authors of retracted publications, particularly in cases involving multiple retractions, according to a new study published in PLOS One by Paul Sebo of the University ...

Why am I not surprised?

"women are consistently underrepresented among authors of retracted publications in high-impact medical journals, particularly in misconduct-related cases and in key authorship positions."

phys.org/news/2025-11...

H/T @amcell.bsky.social

I consider the swastika to be a hate symbol. Who’s with me?

Michelle Obama straightened her hair during her White House years. Not because she preferred it, but b/c she knew her natural hair would become a talking point.

If you hear someone saying a Black woman has unprofessional hair, ask “Is this about job performance? How does it affect their work?”

YouTube video by Better Allies More Inclusive Alternatives to "Quiet Piggy" #Shorts #BetterAllies

lol - I had to use ChatGPT to find out if this comment on my YouTube short was a compliment (or not):

"HAHAAAA YOU ATE THIS"

Good news: it means my performance and/or content was impressive or amazing. Phew.

www.youtube.com/shorts/tPz89...

While some people might be tempted to say “Quiet Piggy” to someone who’s talking more than everyone else, there are many more inclusive and effective ways to get your message across.

Eg, “Let’s hear from folks who haven’t yet had a chance to ask a question.”

Or just say “Quiet Piggy” to them. That might work, too.

Infographic titled ‘CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study’ by Dove and LinkedIn, showing that Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. It reports that two-thirds of Black women change their hair for a job interview, and 54% feel they need to straighten their hair to succeed. The graphic also shows that Black women with coily or textured hair are twice as likely to experience microaggressions at work, over 20% of Black women aged 25-34 have been sent home because of their hair, 44% of Black women under 34 feel pressured to have straight hair, and 25% believe they’ve been denied a job interview because of their hair. A crown icon underscores that no one should feel they must change their hair to access opportunities.

If someone says a Black woman’s hair is unprofessional, speak up and ask: “Is this about job performance? Does this person’s hairstyle affect their work?”

Graphic with the message If someone says a black woman has unprofessional hair, I’ll speak up and ask, “Is this about job performance? How does their hairstyle affect their work?” There’s also a drawing of a person with dark skin sitting at a desk with a large computer monitor, raising their hand as if to ask a question. Along the bottom is the @BetterAllies handle and credit to @ninalimpi for the drawing.

A study by Dove & LinkedIn found Black women’s hair is 2.5x more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. 20% of Black women have been sent home from work because of their hair.

As #BetterAllies, we can interrupt this bias.

“How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”
― E.M. Forster

Same!

(I heard about this quote on an @adamgrant.bsky.social podcast interview with Suleika Jaouad, which was delightful.)

Infographic titled ‘CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study’ by Dove and LinkedIn, showing that Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. It reports that two-thirds of Black women change their hair for a job interview, and 54% feel they need to straighten their hair to succeed. The graphic also shows that Black women with coily or textured hair are twice as likely to experience microaggressions at work, over 20% of Black women aged 25-34 have been sent home because of their hair, 44% of Black women under 34 feel pressured to have straight hair, and 25% believe they’ve been denied a job interview because of their hair. A crown icon underscores that no one should feel they must change their hair to access opportunities.

If you notice a Black person being judged because their hair, speak up and suggest changing the feedback to instead focus on the impact they’re having on your organization’s priorities and goals.

Because 👇

Better Allies Influencing how workplaces become better, one ally at a time Posts by Karen Catlin, author of Better Allies® books and the 5 Ally Actions weekly newsletter

I’ve been building my “baby” YouTube channel with practical tips to create better workplaces. I’m at 69 subscribers (nice) & hoping to reach 1,000 so the channel can start earning ad revenue.

I’d be grateful if you subscribed.

Thank you for cheering on this project! youtube.com/@BetterAllies

I’m (happily) overwhelmed by the messages I received about my latest newsletter. “Terrific points this week." "Great advice." And some smile-evoking ❤️ reactions from Outlook users.

Join me in creating better workplaces with the Better Allies approach👇

mailchi.mp/e90c01d2298a...

A Video Of A Man Sharing Some Hard-To-Believe Statistics Showing How The World Is Unfair To Women Goes Viral With 2.4M Likes - TVovermind TikTok user @mrvdk brings our attention to gender inequality and gives us some shocking facts proving that this issue needs to be taken seriously and shouldn’t be downplayed.

#feminism

tvovermind.com/women-have-i...

This.

Male Drivers Sue Uber and Lyft Over Women-Only Ride-Hailing The lawsuits allege that male drivers receive fewer rides because of the feature, violating sex discrimination laws.

Women riders & drivers want the option to be matched with other women on Uber & Lyft (to minimize sexual assault & harassment).

I love this setting. It makes me feel safer.

Yet, men are suing the platforms for sex discrimination for limiting their economic opportunity time.com/7332356/uber...

Today kicks off #TransgenderAwarenessWeek. One small way to support this community is using images of transgender people to illustrate any subject matter, not just stories about transgender topics.

See the Gender Spectrum Collection & Queer in Tech stock photo sites at betterallies.com/photos

Would you be surprised, or not-so-surprised, to learn that a key driver of gender inequity is who gets stuck with non-promotable work?

#BetterAllies #BetterWorkplaces #InclusionMatters

Looking to create a better workplace? Here are some ideas:

-Don’t let AI speed up discrimination
-Avoid black, white, dark, or light as metaphors
-Avoid phrases that diminish or disparage Indigenous people
-Use stock photos of transgender people (and not AI)
-Speak up
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What’s wrong with ‘manels’ and what can we do about them Homogenous, male-only panels remain prevalent, despite growing numbers of women experts in multiple fields.

Calling Men, Male Faculty - could you please check that you are not set to take part in a "manel", before accepting an invitation to speak at an event, or in a seminar series? #DEI theconversation.com/whats-wrong-... (2020, & still wrong)

Graphic with the message I ensure fair access to promotable work because women, especially women of color, spend significantly more time on tasks that don’t lead to advancement. There’s also a drawing of a person giving a virtual presentation, with another person who appears to be a woman contributing work to the presentation. She comes across as busily supporting the other person, and not getting the highly-visible, career-advancing opportunity to present a work project. Along the bottom is the @BetterAllies handle and credit to @ninalimpi for the drawing.

I ensure fair access to promotable work because women, esp women of color, spend significantly more time on tasks that don’t lead to advancement. (Eg onboarding new hires, scheduling social events, resolving conflicts, or jumping in to help when others are overloaded)

TIL that @uofmichigan has a free, inclusive stock photo collection of adolescents in healthcare settings.

www.michiganmedicine.org/community/co...

The most popular suggestion from my 5 Ally Actions newsletter last month? Use this hyperlegible font.

Will you be praised, or punished, for using AI? Depends on your gender.

Listen to this excerpt from this episode of The Culture Advantage, where Dr. Michael Baran and Karen Catlin chatted about all things allyship..

www.instagram.com/reel/DQrz6Ku...

If your organization uses AI to screen resumes or evaluate candidates, don’t let it make decisions unchecked. Advocate for a short pause step in the hiring process to review the AI-generated materials for biased assumptions about age or gender.

YouTube video by Culture Advantage Podcast "I never leave the pizza boxes:" Ally Actions with Karen Catlin

Learn about my backstory & how I became a 4x author of books and a popular weekly newsletter about how people can create better workplace cultures where everyone can thrive.

On The Culture Advantage podcast with Dr. Michael Baran
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjfo...

Change is coming. I could feel it in the air last night.

And my speaking calendar has loads of availability.

Create the culture you want (and others need) with the Better Allies approach. Practical ways to cultivate a workplace where everyone can do their best and thrive.

www.betterallies.com

Graphic with the message AI might speed up hiring; It shouldn’t also speed up discrimination. Before finalizing candidates, Let’s review AI-generated material for biased assumptions about age or gender. There’s also a drawing of three cards, representing job candidates of different racial identities and genders. Along the bottom is the @BetterAllies handle and credit to @ninalimpi for the drawing.

Research from Stanford is troubling yet not surprising: AI can reinforce age & gender bias, esp against older women:

Portrayed women as younger & less experienced
Rated older men’s resumes more favorably

If you use AI to screen resumes or evaluate candidates, don’t let it make decisions unchecked.

Screen shot of the 5 Ally Actions newsletter from October 31 2025, showing action number 3: Use this hyperlegible font. The text reads: In 2022, a newsletter subscriber told me about a free typeface from the Braille Institute that can help increase character recognition, which ultimately improves the readability of a document for low-vision readers. It’s called Atkinson Hyperlegible, named after Braille Institute founder J. Robert Atkinson. I immediately downloaded it, and I’ve used it ever since in my client proposals and contracts.Learn more about its benefits in this Instagram post by BlindishLatina. As we wrap up National Disability Employment Awareness Month in the U.S. (October), I hope you’ll consider using it. And remember, it’s absolutely free.

This segment of today's "5 Ally Actions" newsletter is generating a lot of buzz: Use this hyperlegible font

Access the links and read the other ally actions at mailchi.mp/28bf70c7a9e4...