Diversity and Inclusion for Everyone’s Happiness!

This is an English translation of an article published in Nikkan San on November 21, 2019, as a part of my column, “The Way of the Pianist.

I attended two wonderful conferences earlier this month: On Nov 4th, US-Japan Council Tenth Annual Conference in Hollywood, and then on Nov. 7th, the sixth annual “Women’s Leadership Counts” conference presented by Japan American Society of Southern California in Beverly Hills. Three of my convictions were confirmed by more information, data, and expertise: The global importance of US-Japan reliance; the significant impact that the amazing Japanese and Japanese-American leaders are making in the world; and the importance of strengthening our international relationship with personal dialogues, understanding and friendship. Overall, they were both great opportunities of learning and inspiration.

Diverse topics were presented and discussed from AI and its future to diplomacy in the far East and beyond, social impacts corporations are, and/or should be, making, Tokyo Olympic….  Here, I would like to discuss an initiative led by Ernst and Young called “Women Athletes Business Network” that I learned about for the first time in “Women’s Leadership Counts” conference. Compared to their counterpart, female athletes have less systematic support and income during their athletic career, and face harder times transitioning after retirement from their sport. This program recognizes these retired female athletes as leadership materials in the corporate world for the work ethic, perseverance, decisiveness, bravery, and other characteristics they have proven for themselves.  It provides mentors and internship opportunities and supports their transition into a corporate career.  I was inspired to learn about it, but was saddened by an example described by the presenter, when asked about the kinds of challenges the female athletes face. She said that there were certain biases against athletes especially strongly expressed against female athletes, such as “athletes are not intellectual.” It made me sad to hear this because there is a similar stereotype against instrumentalists.

I’ve written more extensively about it in my #MeToo blog, and I will quote from it here: “Music has been idealized since the ancient Greece as a way to transcend corporeal needs and weaknesses. That ideal ignores music’s inherent need for realization by the physical act of performing. Instrumental players were penalized for this contradiction. Anti-virtuosity rhetoric circulated in the nineteenth century as a consequence, criticizing virtuosos for their displays of physical abilities, and for the subsequent material rewards. Educators and intellectuals have issued warnings against these instrumentalists as socially and morally corrupt, comparing their shows to circus acts, sexual displays and freak shows.” I wonder if that is not why 67.1% of female musicians become victims of sexual harassment, according to the 2018 survey conducted by Music Industry Research Association.  

We have to assess our past and the current reality objectively, and intelligently. We also must acknowledge, and celebrate, the progress we have been making. 2019 marks the centennial of the suffrage movement. The concept of diversity and inclusion is discussed and put into practice increasingly. Let’s keep making our progress. Let’s make the world a better place, together.