Thought Leadership: A Woman's Place

This question has followed me for several years: am I really in the right place?

This is how Clotilde Ravoux began her response to our call for testimonies. For many women working in male-dominated industries, this question feels painfully familiar. As we open a new year, it feels essential to reflect on legitimacy, leadership, and belonging.

True to SWAN’s mission to amplify women’s voices, we’re proud to share the journey of SWANRise graduate Clotilde Ravoux.

Belonging isn’t a hurdle for women to overcome alone; it’s a system we build together through visibility, mentorship, and community.

In Clotilde’s own words

It first appeared during my studies, during my first engineering school internships. In a predominantly male environment, legitimacy was not assumed, it had to be built. Throughout my professional journey, similar patterns resurfaced: particularly high expectations of myself and persistent doubts, despite tangible results. I was, however, fortunate to be surrounded by supportive people (able to listen, provide perspective, and offer encouragement), and that remains true today.

The birth of my two daughters marked a new era. It profoundly reshaped how I viewed the balance between personal and professional life, as well as the place I wanted to occupy in my career. In parallel, I embarked on a new project and discovered SWAN. While this was initially a networking initiative, I discovered a supportive environment grounded in shared experiences and peer support. These exchanges made me realize that the questions I had until then considered personal were, in fact, largely collective.

This was a true turning point: the understanding that these challenges (ambition, leadership, motherhood, and legitimacy) are common to many women.

Being supported by an exceptional mentor also played a decisive role. Her external perspective, combined with deep kindness, helped me view certain situations differently and strengthen my professional posture.

Today, I approach my role with greater clarity and confidence. I more fully embrace my place and my contribution, convinced that leadership does not rely on a single model and that legitimacy is also built collectively. The challenge now is to help create more inclusive professional environments for the benefit of future generations.

Because, ultimately, that is the real issue: creating workplaces where the next generation will no longer have to ask themselves whether they belong. Let these little girls dream, and have access to the stars and space.

Where do these feelings come from?

Clotilde describes a slow, cumulative process that started early. Being one of the few women during field internships set a pattern that resurfaced later at work.

If you grew up watching The Smurfs, you probably remember Smurfette, the only female character in a village of men. Writer Katha Politt used this to define “The Smurfette Principle”, a way women are framed as an exception in a male-dominated world.

Fictional? Yes. Yet, for many women in these fields, it can feel strikingly real.

Once you realize you are the only, in the room, an implicit question may arise: If I’m the only one here, am I really meant to be here?

The feeling of not belonging does not appear overnight: it often builds up from a young age. Research shows that, while girls perform just as well (if not better) than boys on science tests, they tend to feel more anxious when taking them. They also underestimate their abilities in STEM, with over half of girls in the UK between the ages of 11 and 16 lacking confidence in mathematics compared to 41% of boys, and 43% of girls in science in general, compared to 26% of boys. This low confidence, paired with a lack of female role models or of support, can discourage young women from pursuing scientific paths.

For those who enter STEM, self-doubt can persist. As Clotilde notes, it may not block progress, yet it can fuel a constant pressure to learn more and do better. This can be amplified by implicit bias, for example, being questioned more often than male peers or being overlooked for opportunities, sometimes due to perceived lack of confidence. A weakened sense of legitimacy also shapes how women speak up, collaborate, and step into leadership.

What changes the trajectory

Seeing is believing. Seeing women lead teams and succeed in traditionally male-dominated fields can change what young girls believe is possible for them to do.

Visibility. The Scully Effect, the idea that capable women in STEM portrayed in media inspire real choices, extends to real-world stages. Outreach, speaking engagements, and consistent visibility of diverse profiles matter. These are core commitments at SWAN.

Support and guidance. Clotilde emphasized how grateful she is to have been surrounded by supportive people throughout her career. More recently, her participation in the first edition of SWANRise exceeded expectations: with the help of her mentor Erika, she gained a new outlook on her career and projects. It also strengthened her belief that, as a professional, she can help students build confidence.

Today, she contributes as co-lead of SWANElevate, a mentorship program for students and young professionals. On a personal note, she highlighted the importance of raising her daughters to avoid the self-censorship of “this is not for me,” reminding us that support starts at home and from an early age.

Community. Finally, we strive to nurture a strong community through #SWANConnect, #SWANChampion, and via our WhatsApp channels. When tackling an issue so closely tied to male-dominated workplaces, it is essential to help women see they are not alone, create space for reflection on their experiences, and open pathways to grow into leadership roles.

Looking Ahead: A Wish for 2026

Questions of belonging and legitimacy often take us back to defining moments in our past, so we’ll end this first Thought Leadership reflection with this question:

“What would you tell your younger self if she shared these doubts with you?”

For Clotilde, the answer is simple and powerful: Dare. Dare to say yes to new opportunities.

This is a sentiment we can only echo as #SWAN ushers in a year we hope will be a new era of leadership for many.