#LeanInTogether invites men to show support for gender equality
Almost two years after Sheryl Sandberg released "Lean In" and launched a women's movement in the workplace, the Facebook chief operating officer is extending the initiative by inviting men to take up the cause.
"You're seeing a whole new generation of young men who in this economy understand that their wives or girlfriends are also working, that it's not fair to also expect them to also pick up all the housework," Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles said Monday on "CBS This Morning."
In the April issue of Cosmopolitan, Sandberg guest-edited a special section highlighting men who are "leaning in," whether it's at home or in the workplace.
"I think also what's happening in this economy is couples understand they have to pass the baton back and forth. It's better for everybody," Coles said. "It's better for kids to see the family pulling together and creating this thing--cooking together, cleaning up together--the woman can't be expected to do this anymore."
The impact of shared responsibilities also trickles into the bedroom.
"Actually, couples who share housework have more sex," Coles said. "If that isn't a good ad for leaning in together, I don't know what is."
Last week, Germany approved a quota system that would require some of Europe's largest companies to have their supervisory boards consist of at least 30 percent women.
"So clearly there are countries stepping up and making it mandatory. I think the [U.S.] is trying to make this much more voluntary," Coles said.
Partners in the NBA and WNBA are supporting the #LeanInTogether message, and celebrities including Beyoncé, Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Jackman have participated on social media. Billionaire and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet is also "very keen on promoting women, getting women further up the leadership chain," Coles said.
"What we're seeing is, 60 percent of college intake is women now. That's been the case for the last sort of 20, 30 years, women creeping up at college, yet it's not reflected in leadership," Coles said. "It's not reflected in government; it's not reflected in the top management in companies."
Coles thinks with more awareness, things are "beginning to happen."
"The weird thing is when you look at all the research, companies with a diverse board, with a diverse management do better," Coles said. "I think partly it's education, that that's what people are beginning to understand. In a difficult economy, which we've all seen over the last few years, companies are paying more attention to this. So I think there is more emphasis on it."