As Billy Joel sings We Didn’t Start the Fire, I’m reminded that the flames of struggle we face today—whether in the fight for gender equality or LGBTQ+ rights—have been burning for thousands of years. The battles may feel modern, but the systems we challenge are ancient.
Take the LGBTQ+ community, for example. In our LGBTQ+ History Month events, we often trace our existence back thousands of years—long before modern society decided that our identities were unusual or inconvenient. I learned from Two-Spirited elders in Canada about the Indigenous people of North America, whose understanding of gender dates back millennia. Their language included five words to describe what we now refer to as gender: male, female, male but female, female but male, and neither male nor female. These concepts of non-binary and gender-nonconforming identities go back to between 6,000 and 8,000 BCE, showing us that recognising diverse gender identities has always been a part of human existence. This understanding was only erased by colonisation and the imposition of rigid Western gender norms.
Just as the concept of gender fluidity and non-binary identities has ancient roots, so too does the marginalisation of women in patriarchal structures. These two struggles, though distinct, share a long history of resistance against systems that enforce rigid categories and hierarchies. When discussing women’s struggles, it’s impossible not to think of how far back they go. One of the earliest references that comes to mind is Telemachus speaking to his mother, Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, in The Odyssey, written by Homer around the 8th century BCE. The way he dismisses her voice in household matters, reminding her that women should tend to their affairs while men govern the public and political realms, reveals the foundations of a system that has oppressed women for nearly 3,000 years.
We can trace this exclusion back to the values of ancient Greece, around 2,800 years ago. Imagine that—women have been battling systems of oppression for almost three millennia. It’s no wonder creating meaningful change is so difficult. When we recognise that these systems were built into the fabric of early human civilisation, it becomes clear why the fight is so hard.
Of course, patriarchal economic systems, which capitalism later built upon, have devalued women’s work for centuries. Women's work—often unseen and undervalued—has been baked into the system from the start. This is why, as we discussed last week, women’s representation in leadership may be improving from a diversity perspective, but the cracks remain glaring when it comes to true inclusion. We’ve reached glass ceilings, not because women aren’t capable or determined, but because the system itself wasn’t designed with us in mind. And let’s not even begin to talk about equity—whether we look at the pay gap, pregnancy penalties, or the gendered expectations placed on women, true equity remains elusive.
I often think about my own experiences navigating corporate spaces and societal expectations. Clearly, the systems designed thousands of years ago still shape our present realities, making it all the more important to continue challenging them.
Usual Systems, Unusual Fights
It’s important to remember that what we now consider usual—the dominance of certain identities in leadership, the marginalisation of others—has been in place for a long time. But that doesn’t mean it’s unchangeable. History shows us that these systems have been challenged before. Many societies, before the imposition of Western colonisation and religious doctrines, held more inclusive views on gender and sexuality, from ancient Mesopotamia to pre-colonial Indigenous cultures. Yet, over time, boundaries around identity were tightened, erasing once-recognised expressions of self. The ongoing fight for rights and recognition today is not just a modern phenomenon but a reclaiming of purposefully suppressed histories.
The Usual Culprits: Capitalism and Gender
Regarding capitalism, it’s essential to recognise how it continues to reinforce the usual power structures that benefit some and exclude others. Women’s work, whether in the home or traditionally female-dominated sectors, has long been underpaid and undervalued. What was once dismissed as ‘women’s work’ is now a point of contention when discussing equitable pay, parental leave, and career progression.
Capitalism’s design—focused on maximising profit, often at the expense of human dignity—has historically sidelined those who don’t fit the usual leadership mould. This is why, despite years of pushing for greater gender diversity in boardrooms and executive roles, we continue to see underrepresentation. Even when women do rise to these positions, they are more likely to face barriers and biases that their male counterparts do not.
It’s no coincidence that concepts like imposter syndrome and the fabricated "Bicycle face" were historically used to achieve these very outcomes. These tools were created to keep women questioning their competence, doubting their right to occupy leadership positions, and even fearing physical consequences for stepping out of their prescribed roles. This psychological manipulation has worked in tandem with systemic exclusion to reinforce the barriers women still face in leadership today.
In recent years, we’ve seen just how fragile progress can be, with gender pay gaps persisting, rights for trans individuals being rolled back, and reproductive rights under attack globally. These modern challenges remind us that the systems of exclusion and control are as resilient as they are ancient.
Why We Keep Advocating for Change
So why do we continue this effort, knowing how deep the roots of these systems go? Because we are part of a long tradition of resistance. Our struggles today are not new, but that doesn’t make them any less urgent. In fact, it’s the very fact that women and LGBTQ+ people have been challenging these systems for thousands of years that give us strength. We are not just pushing for change in the here and now; we are part of a continuum that stretches back millennia.
So, the next time you hear someone dismiss diversity and inclusion as a modern or unnecessary battle, remind them how far back this fight goes. Change isn’t slow because we’re not trying hard enough—it’s slow because we’re working against systems designed to resist it. But resist we must, for every gain we make today is another spark in a fire that’s been burning for thousands of years.
We didn’t start this fire, but we must keep it burning. And that fire isn’t just a fight against the usual systems that perpetuate inequality; it’s a testament to the resilience of all those who came before us and all those who will come after.
Whether in our workplaces, communities, or personal relationships, each of us has a role in dismantling these ancient systems and building a future that includes us all.
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