A Year Later, What's the Impact of Fisher's Crude Remarks?

“It’s great that the conversation is being had, but I just want to make sure … that it doesn’t stop at the conversation,” Chalekian said. 

What’s going to help that push? “CEOs and [other] executives have to … make those changes at the top and lead by example, and … to say, ‘I want to change the culture here. I want to change the face of the firm, and let’s make sure we outline [that] and we start moving in that direction as opposed to just lip service.’”

As for events, Chalekian pointed out: “For the most part, I have seen from these virtual conferences a pretty good mix [of speakers], a lot better than in the past, but I still think we need to push harder.”

‘Language Holds Power’

“I do think it was a watershed moment that woke people up to what many of us already know about the issues finance faces,” Robasciotti said. “The reactions that followed that event sparked conversations throughout the industry.”

While conversations and policy updates are a good start, “I hope that our industry will stop tolerating abuses of power — from the stage or in the office,” she explained.

“Language holds power, and we need to put on stage only those people who understand the impact of the words they speak.” 

The firm she leads, Adasina Social Capital, “has been dedicated to” making the financial services industry “more inclusive of women, the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, and all marginalized groups … since we opened our doors in 2004,” Robasciotti said. 

It’s also the reason the firm built its social justice investing platform “and the reason I stay in this work,” she added. 

Doing Better

For her part, Dreizler told ThinkAdvisor: “In the last year, I’ve seen many financial conferences adopt anti-harassment policies, and I’ve been a part of many thoughtful conversations about race and gender, including with financial services industry leaders. I hope everyone has become less tolerant of harassing behavior at all levels.” 

Looking back on what transpired a year ago, she explained on Twitter Thursday: “I was terrified to speak out about it, but decided to say something. Really though, I was only able to do so because: — a male ally, @AlexChalekian broke the silence first — another attendee, @rrobasciotti was willing to speak out as well. I am forever grateful to both of them.”

At the time, Dreizler had compiled a series on harassment and assault in financial services, but hadn’t found a media outlet willing to publish it. 

“Self-publishing the Do Better series, in the aftermath of the conference debacle, was life changing for me. And I know how meaningful it was for women to see their stories given the voice and validation they deserve,” she tweeted. 

What happened a year ago lifted the lid on a variety of issues within the industry — including what was not being said. 

“When you’ve worked in finance for a while, the culture of secrecy seems normal. But, financial services’ culture of secrecy is incredibly toxic and part of the reason that women don’t tend to thrive in the industry,” Dreizler explained in a tweet.

“Please y’all,” she added, “let’s work together to make an industry where everyone belongs, and anyone can be a CEO.”

— Related on ThinkAdvisor:

• A Call to ‘Do Better’: What Would Sallie Do?
• Tipping Point: Why Ken Fisher’s Lewd Remarks Matter
• Slow Gains for Female Board Membership: Report