Woman’s World: Breaking Stereotypes; “Break The Bias”

As we continue to celebrate International Women’s Month under the theme ‘Break The Bias’, we witnessed the fact that women are no longer asking for their ‘place’ in society but taking over and dominating but are still faced with stereotypes or gender bias.

We welcome Dania Beckford, CEO of Broadtail Designs, Krystal Tomlinson, Gender Policy Advocate and Dr. Karen Carpenter, Head – Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI Mona to discuss.

Talking Points:

– Stereotypes women still face today

– Men’s expectation of women – relationships, dates, money, sex etc.

– Switch in gender roles; paternity vs maternity leave – single moms still getting it

– Unapologetically owning & dominating positions

– As a nation, are we ready for this type of conversation? (Breaking Gender Bias)

Dania Beckford is a Brand Communicator who has been in the Media & Communication Industries for fifteen (15) years. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Broadtail Designs, a fashionfor full-figured women and the section leader and marketer of the first full-figured section for Carnival in Jamaica. In March 2021, in celebration of Women’s History Month, she launched her YouTube and Podcast Series called “Being Broadtail” which encourages women of all shapes and sizes to confidently tell their stories. 

Ms. Beckford is also the owner and Chief Communications Officer of Broad Axe Communications, where she specialises in crisis communication and personal branding.  Dania is the 2019 recipient of the Women in Entrepreneurship Fellowship for the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) by the U.S Embassy in Kingston and one of the 2018 Gleaner Flair Magazine Awardees for Outstanding Contribution in Fashion in celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8).

She holds a Master’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communication and a first degree in Media and Communication specialising in Public Relations with a Minor in Cultural Studies from CARIMAC at the University of the West Indies, Mona. She has been a certified Protocol and Professional Etiquette Officer since 2012 and a Mentor at the Jonathan Grant High School where she along with a group of women assist in grooming young women for life.

Dr. Karen Carpenter is a Florida board certified clinical sexologist and a licensed counselling psychologist in Jamaica. She has been working in private relationship & sex therapy for the past 20 years.

She hosts Love & Sex on Facebook watch and is a guest expert on issues of human sexuality and interpersonal relationships. She is the Director for the Caribbean Sexuality Research Group (CSRG) Sexology Clinic, at the University Hospital of the West Indies and has lectured in psychology, research methods, gender & sexuality for more than 20 years. Dr. Carpenter has worked with public and private sector organizations in designing and conducting training & research. She is the author of Love & Sex: the Basics, and questioning Caribbean Jewish Identity, editor of Interweaving Tapestries of Sexuality & Culture, co-author of Language Race & the Global Jamaican.

Krystal Tomlinson – At just 29 years old, Krystal is a Jamaican power-broker and thought leader with a career that spans the fields of media and communications, social entrepreneurship and politics. A 3-time World University Debater Krystal was the first female in the Caribbean to be ranked number one Public Speaker in the world (2011-2012) by the World Universities Debate Championships. She is passionate about nation building, progressive policy development and youth-led activism.

Krystal is a former Ms. Jamaica Festival Queen and National Youth Ambassador for Vision 2030

Jamaica and now serves as Head of New Media for the People’s National Party, President of the PNPYO, CEO of the Success Farm Training Institute and Founder and Lead Coach for the Teens on Purpose Mentorship Programme. Her foray into politics started while at the University of the West Indies, Mona where she was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Premier Award for Culture and Leadership respectively. Her philosophy is simple: “I remain under construction. I will not be too proud to review, repurpose and reposition.”