Staff, patients and visitors coming to Level 7 at Peter Mac’s Parkville campus will notice 16 smiling faces on the windows that tell a story.

The photos are part of the ‘Embracing Equity’ exhibition which shares the views on leadership of various staff across Peter Mac.

The exhibition aims to demonstrate that leadership comes in all forms, no matter what the gender of the leader. It seeks to inspire and act as a reminder that anyone can be a leader, whether that is in an official leadership role or through personal action.

It was inspired by a presentation by Professor Michelle Ryan, Director of the Global Institute of Women's Leadership at The Australian National University at Peter Mac’s 2022 International Women’s Day event.

“Women continue to be under-represented in many of the roles and sectors in society that have the most prestige and the most influence,” Professor Ryan said.

“Attempts to get closer to gender equality are always well intentioned, but some inadvertently try to get there by ‘fixing women’ - telling them to lean further in, to be more confident, to take more risks.

“Instead of trying to fix women, we should appreciate every individual for who they are and what they bring to the workplace.

The people included in this exhibition are role models for all of us - and the diversity in their experiences are to be celebrated,” Michelle said.

The VCCC Alliance, The Royal Women’s Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre also held a special International Women's Day lecture and panel discussion at Peter Mac on 3 March to examine disparities in women and girls’ experience of health care.

The ‘Sex and gender bias in healthcare’ event included special guest The Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and keynote speaker Gabrielle Jackson, author of Pain and Prejudice.