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What were you doing at 17 years old? At 17 I was partying and dating.
Join Noreen as she mashes it up with a 17-year-old who has had a profound reach to women in the workforce. Megan Gole will direct us to come together as women to be brave and build our confidence and build each other up.
Segment 1
Noreen starts off the show by introducing her guest Megan Gole, and talks about what she’s been up to lately, including a new series for women called “lunch ladies.” Lunch lady is all about women and money, and the complicated relationship many women actually have with money and how to grow their businesses and leadership. Megan starts talking about how she met Noreen and her life-changing research paper about gender equality and debating. After Megan sent Noreen her paper she was able to talk for Nabo– a women’s empowerment organization. Megan talks about the response she got when she was able to speak for them, and the gratitude that she received.
Segment 2
Noreen came back asking Megan what make her started the research. Megan started debating in her freshman year in high school. She talks about how girls and boys are debating on certain topics that people are expecting to hear from certain gender. Megan also talks about how men are overpowering women in debates. She then talks about how people criticized how women dressed but she thinks women shouldn’t care about how others look at them and should be who they wanted to be. Megan also encourages incoming female freshmen in her school that joined her debate group to speak for themselves. Noreen then asks Megan if she thinks older women are not as confident as younger women. Megan think that all women should be themselves and live their own life.
Segment 3
Megan talks about a story at the Yale Invitational where she debated a high ranking debater in the country. She describes the moment where she picked up her speed and became more articulate and called him out during the debate. The topic was on gender equality which is the area of focus that she is most important about. She then talks about the lack of intersectionality in the debate field and that she wants to look at that closer for the future. She highlights the barriers that poorer people face in the debate field. The money and resources that you need to succeed in this area prevent more people from becoming involved. Megan gives advice to younger people who want to get into debates and public speaking. She then talks about the unintentional sexism that goes on in these kinds of public forums. Megan looks towards the future, wanting to go to law school and having more women in power.
Segment 4
Megan continues to talk about being empowered in whatever you do and allowing women to be whatever kind of women they want. This is something that’s important to iterate to girls at an early age as they go through the high school process. Megan talks about the different things she works on besides the debate team, including Nabo and The Borgen Project. Megan and Noreen discuss what kind of music they are into. Megan then says that the current political climate scares her and the polarization that is within the country. She says that it’s important for people to interact with people who they don’t agree with and is optimistic about the two sides being able to come together.