As part of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Procter & Gamble, a Worldwide Olympic Partner, has hosted a panel discussion on gender equality. As part of “Love Over Bias,” the latest installment of P&G’s award-winning “Thank You, Mom” campaign, a panel of decorated female Olympians discussed their own journeys to the global stage. The discussion included the role of their moms, mentorship and support from other women, as well as their hopes for what the current global movement for gender equality will mean for future generations of female athletes.
With opening remarks from Anita DeFrantz, Olympic medalist, the first female Vice President of the IOC Executive Board and a tireless advocate for gender equality in sport, the panel was comprised of:
- Michelle Kwan – Olympic medalist and world champion and the most decorated U.S. figure skater who now serves as a global advocate for her sport and women in business
- Elana Meyers Taylor – 2012 & 2014 Olympic medalist who was one of the first women to pilot a mixed gender, four-man bobsled and has defied stereotypes in her sport
- Katarzyna Bachleda-Curuś – Polish speed skating record holder, two-time Olympic medalist competing in her fifth Olympic Winter Games and proud mom of two daughters
- Justine & Chloe Dufour-Lapointe – Canadian mogul skiers who both medaled at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014. Justine won a silver medal in PyeongChang.
“It’s an exciting time to be a female athlete,” said Elana Meyers Taylor. “There’s this incredible change we’re seeing across all facets of global culture—politics, entertainment, business and of course sport. I’m extremely fortunate that I had fantastic female mentors, including my mom, who helped me overcome any adversity I faced as a female competing in mixed gender bobsled events. I always believed that if I couldn’t do something, my mom would be the one to tell me, and she never did, so I didn’t set limitations for myself and I hope that attitude will inspire other women to define their own potential.”
“I’m proud to partner with P&G today to support the Love Over Bias campaign and participate in a discussion about gender equality,” said Justine Dufour-Lapointe. “I wouldn’t be here without the support and mentorship from other women, including my sisters and my strong and inspiring mom. Together, we can help shape the future for female athletes.”
The discussion also included a screening of P&G Korea’s “Thank You, Mom” video with decorated speed skater Sangwha Lee as well as P&G’s celebrated “Love Over Bias” film, which celebrates a mom’s role as her child’s first and greatest advocate, the one who sees her child’s potential regardless of how others see them. The hope is that this film will help bring people together to talk openly about bias, its role in limiting human potential and the need to see beyond the things that divide us to the common things that can bring us together.
“At P&G, we aspire to create a better world for everyone — a world free from bias, with equal representation, equal voices and equal opportunity,” said Phil Duncan, Global Design Officer. “The campaign is part of a company-wide effort to spark conversations about important matters, such as gender bias. This has been a longstanding journey for P&G, which includes other campaigns such as Ariel Share the Load, Always Like a Girl , SK-II Marriage Market Takeover, and Secret’s Ladies’ Room Stress Test.”
Share #LoveOverBias and go to www.LoveOverBias.com to view the film and learn more these and other athletes.
