Three distinctive activities of the Gender Equality Promotion Committee (JES We Can)

The Gender Equality Promotion Committee was established in 2009 as the “Committee for the Training and Retraining of Women Physicians” within the Japan Endocrine Society (JES). Dr. Kazue Takano, the first chair, appointed members from branches nationwide and laid the foundation for the committee’s activities. Dr. Naomi Hizuka, the second chair, coined the name “JES We Can (Japan Endocrine Society Women Endocrinologists Association),” drawing inspiration from the catchphrase “Yes We Can” used by the Obama campaign during the U.S. presidential election at that time. It symbolizes the “era of diversity” heralded by the election of the first African American President. “JES We Can” has become an enduring nickname within the JES. To receive support from the Cabinet Office Gender Equality Bureau, Dr. Mari Suzuki, the third chair, renamed the committee to the “Gender Equality Promotion Committee” and worked to establish two subcommittees: the “Women Physicians Support Subcommittee; JES We Can-C (Clinical)” and the “Women Researchers Support Subcommittee; JES We Can-B (Basic).” While committees with the name “gender equality” are organized in various academic societies nationwide, their activity styles vary. As the fourth chair, I would like to introduce three distinctive activities of this committee in this essay.

1. JES We Can Proposals and Sessions

Thanks to the efforts of regional members, innovative JES We Can proposals and sessions are continually implemented at annual meetings across all branches. Direct budgets for JES We Can activities, allocated to branch offices, enable proactive activities tailored to the specific circumstances of each branch. When the committee was first established, there was lively discussion about these JES We Can projects within the committee. A key question emerged: “What exactly is the purpose of the JES We Can projects?” This discussion was summarized into three main objectives.

The first objective is to enhance the motivation of women members and provide them with opportunities for diverse activities. This includes reflecting the needs of women members in the programs of branch meetings to increase diversity, introduce novelty, and improve participants’ satisfaction and attendance. In fact, plans directly related to clinical practice and designed from the perspective of female patients—such as gender-specific medical care and infertility treatment—have been successively proposed in each branch, resulting in attractive academic meetings, especially for members in their 20s and 30s, where the proportion of women members is rapidly increasing.

The second objective is to demonstrate to members that academic societies are built upon the dedicated activities of their members, which in turn leads to the development of the society. We want women members to gain experience in proposing, preparing, and responsibly managing JES We Can sessions, so they can contribute to the society’s growth.

The third objective is to appoint diverse speakers and panelists, showcasing various role models to many members, who can inspire and revitalize the society. JES members include both clinical physicians and basic researchers, representing a wide range of affiliations—such as medical institutions, universities, research institutes, and companies—making this diversity essential for the society’s growth.

JES We Can proposals and sessions have become a standard part of national annual meetings. The president of the national meeting and the committee member in charge of JES We Can maintain close communication and advance the JES We Can proposals and sessions by sharing the meeting’s policies. In recent years, key members of JES We Can have also participated in the program committee for the annual meetings.

2. Interaction with WE (Women in Endocrinology)

Established in 1975, WE aims to support women members of the Endocrine Society (ENDO) in the United States and celebrated its 40^th anniversary in 2015. In 1975, ENDO had less than 10% female membership, but by 2015, it grew to 50% female membership, while actively promoting research grants, awards, and social gatherings. JES We Can members have strengthened their ties with WE by attending the WE Dinner held at ENDO’s annual meetings, enriching JES We Can’s activities.

Building upon this interaction, we invited Dr. Dana Gaddy, then-president of WE, to give a keynote lecture at the JES We Can session during the 90^th Annual Meeting in Kyoto. Members of JES We Can deepened their exchanges at a dinner meeting, and the article was published in ENDO WE NEWS 2017.

With the approval of President Dr. Sasano, a party was organized on the final night of the 92^nd Annual Meeting in Sendai on May 10, 2019, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, with thirty-one members in attendance. Additionally, five professors from ENDO who were visiting Japan for the annual meeting also participated in the party as special guests. The event began with opening remarks by Dr. Sasano, followed by a speech in Japanese by William F. Young, a prominent figure in the adrenal field and former president of ENDO. Next, Gary D. Hammer, who had just finished a special lecture on adrenal malignancies, expressed the importance of diversity as ENDO’s president-elect. Susan C. Nagel, who delivered a lecture on hormones and the environment at a joint Japan-U.S. session, introduced her support activities for women researchers in the U.S. Dr. Caitlin R. Ondracek, who came to Japan as the deputy CEO of ENDO and was responsible for introducing ENDO at the conference booth, explained the efforts to support minority groups, namely female members, basic researchers, and overseas members, in ENDO’s operations. We also received a special message from Susan J. Mandel, who came to Japan as ENDO’s president and delivered a special lecture on thyroid tumors. She presented the 40-year history of WE activities and conveyed a strong message of support for JES We Can. She also led group discussions on what JES We Can and its members can do over the next three years. The discussions left attendees inspired, fostering a commitment to enhance future exchanges between WE and JES We Can (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1  JES We Can Party in 2019

3. Participation in the Governance Task Force (GTF) of ENDO by JES We Can (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2  GTF in 2018

Reproduced with permission from Endocrine News/Endocrine Society. https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/wp-content/uploads/EN0419_IT_LOW-REZ.pdf

In 2018, as the vice-chair of JES We Can and as a woman member from Asia, I was invited to participate in ENDO’s Governance Task Force (GTF). The GTF serves as an advisory body to the ENDO president, who is tasked with examining and recommending improvements for the operation and development of the society. ENDO, the largest organization in the field of endocrinology worldwide, boasts 18,000 members from 118 countries. The top ten representative countries are the United States, Canada, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, Mexico, India, and Argentina. Currently, non-North American members account for 40% of the total membership, with Brazil, Europe, and Japan having the highest number of members in that order. Therefore, GTF members were selected from the U.S. and other representative countries, including Japan. The committee holds monthly teleconferences from April to October, in addition to meetings on June 6–8 (Washington) and September 6–8 (Miami).

Prior to the meeting, all 18 GTF members received materials on the management of associations and non-profit organizations and the role of volunteerism, which they were required to study. Based on this preparation, the 18 members engaged in a full day of focused discussions. The facilitator, an expert dispatched from a company specializing in nonprofit association management, presented ideals and theories of organizational management, which led to discussions on how ENDO should be structured. For example, the discussion centered on ‘the four keys to success for nonprofit organizations’: ‘1. Putting the right people in the right positions, 2. Providing a fun culture and experiences, 3. Maintaining high levels of trust and respect, and 4. Being evaluated favorably for ongoing engagement with the organization.’ These four keys prompted discussions on how ENDO is currently functioning in these areas. I was impressed by the commitment of all members to turn off their cell phones and focus solely on the society’s program from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM.

The most intriguing discussion for me was about internationalization. Of the 7,475 total participants at ENDO 2018, 3,106 (41%) were from outside the United States. With this fact in mind, the debate centered on whether ENDO should strive to be a society focused primarily on U.S. researchers and physicians, or whether it should aim to be a society with an international perspective that also meets the needs of non-U.S. members. The majority of participants, including the current leadership, seemed to prefer the latter. To that end, international members were also invited from India, Australia, the Netherlands, and Brazil, including myself from Japan. However, there was also a strong expression of the opinion that, as a society (ENDO) holding meetings in the United States, it is natural to prioritize meeting the needs of U.S. members and contributing to the development of U.S. healthcare and research. While this is a valid argument, the presidents were aiming to promote the internationalization of ENDO and wanted to reach a conclusion based on thorough discussions by the GTF.

It was a serious discussion about the future of the society, gathering core members and investing both time and money. Moreover, it was not just a matter of exchanging opinions, but also an opportunity to learn what ‘running a society’ entails and to experience discussions built on that learning. The goal of these meetings was to organize the direction of society reform and propose specific reform measures, such as membership qualifications, officer qualifications, board member composition, the composition of the officer selection committee, and ensuring proper leadership, while summarizing the society’s operational strategy. Intense discussions were held on the core aspects of society operations, including guiding principles for society reform, member classification, organizational structure, and nominating committee issues. For example, the following society operations were discussed: 1. Clarify the vision, 2. Cultivate leadership that contributes to the development of the society, 3. Embrace diversity, 4. Clarify roles and responsibilities, 5. Place the right individuals in the right positions at the right time and place, and 6. Ensure transparency in society operations. This GTF report was compiled as recommendations for the executive branch and presented at ENDO 2019.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Lynnette Nieman, then-president of ENDO, for this valuable learning opportunity. I would like to apply what I have learned here to contribute to the development of JES We Can.

Biographies

Mayumi Yamamoto

Advisor, The Japan Endocrine Society

Professor, Gifu University

E-mail: [e-mail]

Careers in JES

2021– Advisor

2019– Subcommittee Chairperson, JES Women Endocrinologists Association Clinical (JES We Can-C)

2019–2023 Committee Chairperson, JES Women Endocrinologists Association (JES We Can)

2017–2021 Auditor

2015–2019 Committee Vice Chairperson, JES Women Endocrinologists Association (JES We Can)

2000– Councilor

1987– Member

Activities in JES

2024 Chair, 24^th Annual Meeting of JES Tokai Regional Branch