WYL Take Ownership Podcast Ep. 11: Franz Bowen

Amidst the #MeToo movement, there have been many conversations taking place across the globe as it pertains to misogyny and rape culture. This week, we sit down with Franz Bowen. Franz is the producer of our WYL Take Ownership podcast as well as a co-managing partner at Driven Society. Alongside Kelley and Ofo of WYL, Franz delves deeper into the current state of affairs relative to woman’s rights.   In this episode of our Take Ownership Podcast, Franz, Kelley, and Ofo discuss being mindful of our environment, compromising intuition for the sake of someone else’s comfort, and educating our children.  

Being Mindful of Your Environment...

“I think that if people read rooms better and read people better, they would avoid certain situations,” says Kelley. “Some people don’t like to be hugged and some people don’t like to be touched. Meanwhile, some people are naturally flirty. Whatever it is, you just have to be mindful of your environment. Whether the person you are interacting with is offended or not, someone watching may be offended.”   Having a background in human resources, Kelley has dealt with situations in the past in which people have come to her about situations they weren’t directly involved in. In addition, Ofo goes on to discuss the different levels of awareness as it pertains to being mindful of the environment and people around us. “You have to be culturally aware, socially aware, and intimately aware,” says Ofo.

Compromising Intuition...

“Donald Trump is the poster boy for doing stupid stuff,” says Franz. “Part of this is his discourse with women which is sending a contradictory message to both boys and girls as well as men and women.” Franz also goes on to mention, “Girls are naturally nurturing and accommodating. Sometimes they might compromise their intuition for the sake of someone else’s comfort. We should stop teaching our girls to acquiesce and accommodate because uncomfortable situations become allegations and charges later down the line.”  

Educating The Future...

“The conversation needs to be had with children,” says Kelley. “We have to teach our boys and the girls how to interact with one another. We can’t just leave it to chance or leave it for children to figure it out with other children or adults. As uncomfortable as it may be, we have to tell our stories.” This includes telling our stories to young children so that they can learn from our experiences. “We can’t do whatever it is we want to do and not be chastised for it,” says Franz. “How do we teach our children to engage in discourse?”   Be sure to check out the full-episode HERE and CONNECT with us on social!   _________________________ (Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking brand strategist, curator, and educator. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he is extremely passionate about bridging the gap and building value between brands, communities, and culture. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership. Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | SoundCloud | YouTube