Can a movie change the world—or at least your workplace?  

Kadie Philp dives into the legacy of the “9 to 5” movement and how Hollywood films have shaped, reflected, and sometimes challenged gender roles in the workforce.  

From office revolutions in the 1970s to Barbie’s 2023 existential crisis, Kadie explores how female characters—whether breaking glass ceilings or stuck under them—have fought for dignity, equity, and representation.    

Listen For:
0:55 Birth of the 9 to 5 Movement 
5:19 Working Girl and the One-Woman-Only Ladder
7:31 Lara Croft and the Rise of the Female Action Hero
10:33 Beyond Elle Woods: Telling Stories of Women of Colour
13:08 The Money Gap: Who’s Really Getting Paid?
14:14 Cultivation Theory: Why Representation Shapes Reality
15:16 Barbie Breaks the System    

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

When you walk into an art gallery, whose stories are being told—and whose are left out?  

Kadie Philp sits down with artist and mother Alexa Mazzarello to explore the persistent gender disparities in the art world, from pay inequity to the underrepresentation of female artists in major collections and leadership roles.  

They discuss the long legacy of feminist artists challenging the status quo, the unique struggles of mother artists, and how collectives like the 44.4 Mother Artist Collective are pushing for change.  

Alexa also shares her personal experience navigating the art world as a mother and how her project Failure to Progress sheds light on gendered biases in healthcare.  

This conversation is a powerful reminder of why representation in art matters—and what’s at stake when women’s voices are left out of the picture.    

Listen For:
1:30 The difficulty of quantifying underrepresentation in the art world
4:59 Making History, Not Just Art
9:56 How the 44.4 Mother Artist Collective empowers women artists
26:03 Family-Friendly Art Spaces – The Mothra Residency    

GUEST: Alexa Mazzarello
Website | Alexa Mazzarello Studio | Instagram | Studio Instagram  

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

When you picture a gamer, who comes to mind? If a woman wasn’t your first thought, it’s time to rethink the stereotype.  

Women now make up nearly half of all gamers in Canada, and their growing presence is reshaping the industry—not just as players, but as developers, designers, and decision-makers.  

Kadie Philp talks with Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, senior teaching professor at Ontario Tech University and Vice President of the Canadian Game Studies Association, to explore the evolution of female representation in video games, the barriers women still face in the industry, and what needs to change for true gender equity.  

From the early Girls’ Games Movement of the ‘90s to today’s fight for fair pay and leadership roles, they discuss how gaming has progressed—and where it still has a long way to go.  

Listen For:
10:59 Women in Game Development: Still a Boys' Club?
20:28 Women Are Playing—So Why Don’t We See Them?
26:44 Gender Discrimination Lawsuits: Did They Change Anything?
31:22 Pay Transparency in Gaming    

GUEST: Andrea Braithwaite, Ph.D
Bluesky | Website | Email | Canadian Game Studies Association    

Links Mentioned:
GDC 2024 State of the Game Industry Report 
ESA 2024 Essential Facts About the US Video Game Industry Report
ESA Canada Reports    

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

What does it take to break barriers in sports?  

Kadie Philp is joined by Olympian and trailblazer Haley Daniels to share her fight for gender equity in women's canoeing—both in getting it recognized as an Olympic sport and in securing equal funding and representation.  

From facing blatant discrimination to proving that women’s sports are just as marketable and competitive, Haley's journey is a reflection of how equity in sports mirrors broader societal struggles and why true change requires everyone’s support.    

They unpack the systemic challenges female athletes still face today, including the persistent gender pay gap, lack of sponsorship, and media biases.  

Haley also highlights the progress being made—like the rise of sold-out women’s sporting events and increased allyship from male athletes.    

Listen For:
5:05 The financial fight: Funding disparities in women’s sports
10:03 The media bias: How female athletes are still judged on appearance
14:14 The gender divide: Why sports are uniquely difficult to equalize
18:50 The professional gap: Why female athletes shouldn’t have to work two jobs  

GUEST: Haley Daniels
Website | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | Instagram    

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

Music has always been more than just entertainment—it’s a powerful tool for protest, a megaphone for the unheard, and a force for social change.  

Kadie Philp sits down with Dr. Norma Coates, associate professor at Western University, to explore the intersection of music, gender, and activism.  

From the defiant blues singers of the 1920s to modern icons like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, they discuss how women in music have consistently challenged injustice, reshaped cultural narratives, and fought for economic and social equality.    

Listen For:
10:24 Women in Punk: Screaming Against the Status Quo
19:47 MTV, Madonna, and the Sexualization of Female Artists
28:27 The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and “Girl Power” in the 2000s
37:35 Race, Gender, and the Music Industry’s Ongoing Gaps    

GUEST: Norma Coates, Ph.D
LinkedIn  

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

Have you ever considered how your favourite TV show influences the way you see gender roles?  

Kadie Philp sits down with Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, a senior teaching professor at Ontario Tech University, to explore how television has shaped—and been shaped by—women’s roles in society. 

From the pioneering influence of I Love Lucy to the feminist power of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the cultural impact of Schitt’s Creek, they discuss how television has both reinforced and challenged gender norms.  

They also examine how technological shifts—like the rise of streaming services—have changed the way stories about women are told, and how Canadian TV plays a unique role in pushing the conversation forward.  

Plus, they tackle the ongoing fight for pay equity in Hollywood and the power of storytelling in driving real-world social change.  

Listen For:
5:06 How the ’60s and ’70s saw women taking on new roles on screen 
14:21 Golden Girls – the show that tackled feminism, aging, and sexuality head-on
18:06 Shonda Rhimes & Normalizing Diversity
34:11 The ongoing struggle for fair wages for women in Hollywood      

GUEST: Andrea Braithwaite, Ph.D 
Bluesky | Website | Email | Canadian Game Studies Association  

Links Mentioned:
GDC 2024 State of the Game Industry Report | ESA 2024 Essential Facts About the US Video Game Industry Report | ESA Canada Reports    

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website

In Season Three of Level the Paying Field, host Kadie Philp and the Ontario Pay Equity Office spotlight the fight for pay and gender equity across the arts and entertainment industries. From visual artists and athletes to musicians, actors, and game developers, this season unpacks how women are represented—and compensated—in pop culture.

Featuring voices like Alexa Mazzarello, Haley Daniels, Norma Coates, and Andrea Braithwaite, we hear powerful insights into systemic gaps and inspiring stories of women reshaping their industries. This season, we’re asking:
➡️ Who gets to be seen and heard?
➡️ Who profits from creativity?
➡️ What’s changing—and what still needs to? Level the Paying Field isn't just a podcast—it's a call to action.

Join us in exploring the intersection of culture, visibility, and equity in the creative world.

Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, and Dr. Anthony Greenwald, Professor Emeritus, University of Washington, and co-author of “Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People”, discuss hidden or implicit biases that contribute to the gender wage gap. Together, they review possible approaches to remedying discriminatory biases.

The papers referred to in this episode can be found at:
Project Implicit (Implicit Association Tests)
Implicit-Bias Remedies: Treating Discriminatory Bias as a Public-Health Problem

To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca.

The labour market never started off level for women and men. Women have and continue to be clustered in the “5Cs”: cleaning, catering, cashiering, clerical and caring. Dr. Sarah Kaplan, Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), talks to Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, about gender’s role in today’s labour market, and whether we are moving to a meritocracy.

To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca.

How does the gendered nature of the care economy impact wages across the sectors? Katherine Scott, Senior Researcher of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, joins Commissioner Kadie Ward to reflect on the need to reassess the value of care work and what the path forward may look like.

The papers referred to in this episode can be found at:
A Bumpy Ride Tracking women’s economic recovery amid the pandemic
Women, work and COVID-19 Priorities for supporting women and the economy

To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca.