“More masculine energy”- Is the women’s movement being replaced now?

That caused a stir: On January 10, 2025, Mark Zuckerberg called for “more masculine energy” at Meta during a Joe Rogan podcast. The click rate for the podcast skyrocketed, now reaching 9.3 million views.

Maybe we can calm our ruffled feathers a bit when we learn this: The podcast covered a wide range of topics (e.g. intellectual property, platform censorship, Covid…), and only a relatively short part was about diversity. The interview lasted a whopping 2 hours and 50 minutes in total. So maybe not every single word should be taken at face value; it’s possible that Zuckerberg had been concentrating too long by the time he said the “masculine energy” line.

Still, he said it: “Masculine energy is good. Corporate culture was really trying to get away from it.”

We also have to recognize that Zuckerberg’s statement fits into what seems to be a kind of counter-movement to DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) in the U.S. For example, a new regulation by President Trump stipulates that all federal agencies must dissolve their diversity departments.Many U.S. companies are now jumping on the bandwagon, so that besides Meta, other major corporations are also halting their diversity initiatives, including:

• McDonalds
• Google
• Target
• Walmart
• Ford
• Jack Daniel‘s

Even Apple, which is currently still maintaining its diversity programs, is reportedly feeling pressure from some large shareholders to follow the new anti-DEI trend quickly.

Both sides argue with “justice”
What makes the issue frustrating is that both sides argue based on justice:

The DEI movement demands equal participation in the labor market for all people – regardless of gender, background, physical limitations, or sexual orientation. A noble goal of justice!

The Trump administration, in contrast, demands an end to “illegal discrimination” and a restoration of “merit-based opportunity.” And honestly – who among us would argue against merit-based opportunities?

Companies in Europe are wondering how to respond to these two opposing movements. Two observations are worth noting:

The U.S. is different than Europe
The diversity movement in the U.S. is distinct, so European companies should be allowed to respond differently.

While the sustainability debate in Europe has been heavily driven by climate risks and environmental issues, in the U.S. there has been a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. Companies in the U.S. had numerous support programs, especially for Black people, Hispanics, and women. DEI metrics were reported and incorporated into KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Even from the perspective of Fondsfrauen, it does not seem absurd or objectionable to pursue a “performance-based” promotion policy. There are many well-educated, intelligent, and high-performing women, who could thrive under a merit-based system.

How companies like SAP and UBS are reacting differently to the stiff winds from the U.S. will be discussed in a later article.

The women’s movement became overloaded with side agendas
Another observation is that the women’s movement has been diluted by the opening of various side issues that haven’t advanced the position of women. Fondsfrauen, as the largest German-speaking career network promoting equality for women in the financial industry, sees itself as part of the women’s movement. Our efforts are not directed against men, but simply “for women.” Our goals are not only to inspire and connect women, but also to help companies in the finance industry become more diverse, stable, and ultimately more efficient.

However, it is striking that in recent years the women’s movement seems to have been “enriched” with numerous other themes.

Women are not a minority
First, it must be stated clearly: women are not a minority - they make up slightly more than 50% of the population. Yet, many minority issues have been offloaded onto the women’s movement. The LGBTQ movement, for example, has nothing to do with the women’s movement. Nor do gender reassignment or self-identification laws - such as the German Self-Determination Act of November 2024 - belong to the women’s movement. These concern a small minority. That’s not to say this minority doesn’t deserve equal treatment rights - of course they do - but these are not women’s issues; they are part of a different movement.

A lot of complications were added that, on the one hand, created additional workload and frustration, and on the other hand, did not improve real-world gender equality.

The fact that a third toilet is built in public buildings or that there is now a trash can for menstrual products in the men's bathroom doesn’t help women. And let’s be honest: to what extent has gender-neutral language actually improved equality for women in practice? The German language does not lend itself well to gendering; instead, it distorts the language and makes it harder to understand. Difficult-to-understand language should not be a goal. Even so-called gender-neutral words like “Studierende” (students) or “Lehrende” (teachers) often sound awkward. And really now: how many women have landed an attractive, fulfilling, and well-paid job because of this wording?

Maybe there are languages that are better suited to gender-sensitive expression. If so, we’d be interested to see data showing that women have better career prospects or higher pay in those countries.

When we read that some universities have more gender studies departments than STEM chairs, it raises questions about the economic value of mostly publicly funded universities. Of course, science isn’t just about economic utility – but asking cui bono? (who benefits?) is still fair. Who gains from it, and how does it benefit society?

Overloading the women’s movement with side issues doesn’t help women!
Therein lies the danger – and possibly the reason for the counter-movement in the U.S.: the women’s movement has been overloaded with additional topics, in some cases to the point of absurdity (see menstrual trash cans in men’s bathrooms or the annual right to change gender identity), leading some to see it as unnecessary.

Where did this overload come from? Two explanations are possible:

• From various small minority groups. The women’s movement began to see early successes. After the introduction of quotas in Germany, the proportion of women on supervisory and executive boards actually increased. Various minority groups wanted to join the movement to ride the wave.
• From opponents of the women’s movement. Admittedly, this sounds like a conspiracy theory - but criminal investigators would at least recognize a motive. Opponents may have seen value in creating distractions. This would keep the movement busy with things of little value to itself and divert its energy. Another aspect is that these overreaches may make the movement appear annoying, exaggerated, or absurd.

Neither scenario benefits the women’s movement - and we should distance ourselves from both.

Promoting women helps businesses succeed
We at Fondsfrauen have been fortunate to stay largely untouched by these fringe issues and instead focus on what matters: connecting women, inspiring women, promoting women.

We advise European companies not to be deterred from their goal of helping well-qualified and capable women into leadership positions – until they make up at least 30%. That women should receive equal pay for equal work goes without saying and is not questioned by any company.

Many studies have shown that companies with a higher proportion of women have fewer blind spots, more balanced solutions, and ultimately more efficient structures. So this isn’t just about justice - it’s also about business success.

Our advice: Focus less on perfectly gendered reports and not necessarily on building a third restroom, but instead ensure there are enough women at all levels of your organization.

And if Mark Zuckerberg meant, with “masculine energy,” a focus on important business goals that move companies and the people in them forward – then so be it. Let’s put it this way: in an almost three-hour interview, people can sometimes misspeak.

Related articles: