Navigation and Gender Equality [Podcast]
Author’s note: Malin Andersson is one of the few female Merchant Marine Captains in Sweden.
Important points from the podcast with Malin:
Malin has a broad career in the shipping world.
Malin had a harder time than her male colleagues to get promoted because of her gender.
She got the position of chief officer just because the company needed one quickly because the current chief officer got sick.
Women often choose family instead of a career where they have to be gone from the family.
It is more social acceptable for fathers to be gone from their kids than it is for mothers.
Malin experienced prejudice onboard—mostly with gesturers, how others talks, who they choose to talk first etc.
Malin has confidence and know what she is capable of—what others think or say does not bother her.
Malin thinks the campaign and debate around #metoo and #anchoraweigh is good and needed.
She has not have so much bad experience herself, that have been stuck in the memory, except on her first vessel that was a nasty vessel with for example sexual harassment.
These experiences might have shaped her and now she is not afraid to take actions if someone is not treated right.
She always prioritize the crews well-being.It is important to find a way to manage your emotions while you are away for work.
If you ruminate how it is with your family, if everyone is safe and so on, you can not manage to be onboard.
The shipping industry is slowly getting better in treating the genders equally and handling harassment, because of the social media and forums, such as Wista, pushing forward these issues.