Don’t just Believe Women, Believe in Women

Working in labor and politics for more than twenty-five years, I’ve seen a lot. Not much surprises me anymore. When you operate around power — where decisions impact people’s livelihoods and movements — you learn quickly how high the stakes are.

But here’s what still does surprise me: how often the values we claim to stand for don’t show up in how we actually treat people — especially women.

Those of us in labor, in advocacy, in so-called progressive spaces — we don’t get to be average on this. We’re supposed to be better. And as a man in these movements, I take that seriously. I’ve tried to be intentional about how I show up — how I lead, how I listen, and who I help lift. I’ve made it a priority to recruit, train, and support leaders who don’t look like me, especially women, because I’ve seen firsthand how structural barriers still block access to power — even in our own circles.

That’s why the news over the past couple of weeks has hit hard. Hearing allegations about people like Cesar Chavez and Eric Swalwell — people whose work has influenced me, people I’ve supported — has been deeply disappointing. Not just because of who they are, but because it forces a harder truth: this isn’t just a problem “out there.” It’s in our movements too.

Men have to do better. Period.

This isn’t complicated. It means being aware of the power we hold and how it can be misused. It means thinking before we act. It means never using position, access, or influence to pressure or manipulate women — ever. And it means not hiding behind denial when harm is called out.

Whether something was intentional or “situational” doesn’t matter. The impact is what matters. And too often, the impact is harm.

If we actually believe in equality, then men have to take responsibility for building that culture. It cannot fall on women to fix what men perpetuate.

So what does that responsibility look like?

It means holding other men accountable — consistently, not selectively. It means creating real pathways for women to lead — not just inviting them in, but stepping aside when necessary. It means seeking out women as mentors, not just mentees. It means interrogating our own behavior with honesty, not defensiveness.

And it means refusing to tolerate this behavior anywhere — not just when it’s politically convenient.

We can’t call out abuse of power in the White House and ignore it in our own organizations. That hypocrisy undermines everything we claim to stand for.

So here’s the line:

When we see something, we say something — and we stop something. When we hear something, we don’t dismiss it — we look into it. When we hold power, we use it to open doors — not exploit them.

And maybe most importantly — we don’t just say “believe women.” We act like we do.

This is on us. Not later. Not when it’s easy. Now.

Let’s raise the standard — and hold each other to it.