Not Oprah’s Book Club: The She Spot

Check out Lisa Chen and Lisa Witter talking about their new book, The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World–And How to Reach Them above.
When I first heard Lisa W. speak this winter at the Women’s Media Center I was absolutely smitten with her (she’s clear, smart, inventive, and managed to be all that while a GIANT baby (hers) hung out on her hip). But I have to say that I was immediately worried about the thesis of The She Spot, which is that marketing to women (for both nonprofits and political campaigns) requires essentially different principles than marketing to men (i.e. men are from Mars, women are from Venus–the social justice version).
The Lisa’s explain their idea about gender different this way:

When it comes to improving the lives of women and girls and creating the society we want to live in, we couldn’t agree more that women should be treated on equal footing with men. But we are selling ourselves short if we deny the fact that gender differences exist.

What I like about their view on gender differences, as queasy as it makes me, is that they’re not just arguing that there are neurological and hormonal differences, but that there are differences bred by the continued differential socialization of girls and boys in the country. In other words, fight against it for the long term, but in the short term, recognize that some of the ways in which women are socialized (to care deeply about others, to be self-sacrificing) are actually assets for social change.
I’m excited to think about the ways in which The She Spot might influence politicians and nonprofits. In a world of the Lisa’s making, there would be no more candy cotton pink websites that are supposed to appeal to women, no more use of the terrible term “women’s issues”, and lots of appealing to single women–who they note are THE most important constituency for the 2008 election. In their world, the Survival of the Fittest would be evolved into the Survival of the Connected. In their world, fundraisers and communications consultants would understand that though it takes longer for women to decide to give money or get involved in a cause, they are more loyal over the long run and give more of their proportional income. In their world, people would understand that a passionate woman tells everyone about her cause.
They sum it up:

At the dawn of the 21st century, the social and political tides that define where and who we are as a people today make the values that matter most to women–connecting and community–a winning blueprint for social change and transformation.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts…

Join the Conversation