Why I Want Men on My Team

With production opening up in Hollywood and other film and television hubs across the country, it’s all the rage among women producers and directors to hire all-female crews. The talent is there, and the opportunity to pull women up in the ranks of the male-dominated film and television industry is honorable. However...

... In the midst of the outcry concerning men being hired, awarded and paid more than women, I’ve got to say that I want men on my team.
 
As a believer, I realize I approach the topic from a different viewpoint than many in the film industry or in the corporate world, looking through the eyes of the apostle Paul who admonished, “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus… There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26, 28
 
As Christians, we need each other. We need both voices – male and female - giving input, guiding decisions, leading the way. Our lives and our work and ministries will be richer and more fruitful when we look at each person’s value through God’s eyes instead of through the filter of male vs. female. 
 
I applaud female entrepreneurs. I enjoy and participate in women’s ministries. But as a Christian, I feel we’re missing an important element if we don’t involve men in some way, whether it’s in a support role, on our board of directors, or as part of the crew on a film set.
 
It’s that “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” mentality. Plain and simple, men see things differently than women. They bring a different POV to the table and can bring insight to a difficult or seemingly unsolvable situation that I just cannot find my way through. I’ve even found that just their presence on a film set can bring stability.
 
For women in leadership, it takes a certain humility and a confidence in your position to welcome and value the input of men. I’ll admit there have been times when I’ve been railroaded as a female leader by a man seeking to assert himself and dominate a situation. In hindsight, I realize that ultimately as the leader, it’s up to me to discern and manage the situation and not just toss the baby – or in this case the man – out with the bath water.
 
So at the risk of off-putting the women who are fighting to make their way and overcome female discrimination, I encourage you to take a step back and consider your male counterparts who might enrich the project you’re working on or the team you’re building.  I know we can do this without them, but is that really what God is asking us to do?
 
(Photo – I’ve been privileged to work with incredibly talented men in my work. Here’s award winning DP Pete Villani discussing a shot with me on the set of our film, “In Tune.”)