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 Foundation
Producers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang

Editor: 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 Toronto

Carmina Ravanera, Senior Research Associate, Institute for Gender and the Economy, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Rotman Executive Summary Producers: Megan Haynes and Jessie Park

Rotman Executive Summary Editor/Sound Designer: Avery Moore Kloss

Rotman Executive Summary Recording: Dan Mazzotta 

Busted Producers and Hosts: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang

Busted Editor: Ian Gormely