Female leaders have gotten used to threats, harassment. It's time to change that.

Decades of research shows that all of us — men and women — benefit when women are in leadership positions. More women in executive management increases a company’s profitability. Female members of Congress bring more federal dollars into their districts. Most recently, many have started examining the positive impact a female head of state has on a country’s success in fighting the coronavirus. 

Far too often, though, these same leaders must operate within a culture where criticism comes with a heavy side dish of gendered language, violent sexual imagery and graphic death threats. And sometimes that online harassment comes offline into the real world. 

According to federal and state law enforcement, a conspiracy involving a least a dozen white male Michigan residents to kidnap and potentially kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had moved far enough along to warrant arrests and criminal charges. It should come as little surprise that misogynistic online threats and sexist name-calling would lead to real world actions.

More:Wisconsin man charged in Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot released on $10,000 bail

More:Hearings begin for 5 of the 6 defendants in Whitmer kidnapping plot

Many women in Michigan, from widely visible leaders like Whitmer to your local city council members and neighborhood business owners, have experienced gendered attacks in some form or another. All too often, these women also receive unsolicited advice like "It’s just talk," "Smile and move on" and “Get used to it."

Our women leaders should not have to get used to it. These women lead us in times of crisis and in times of peace, regardless of what is said about them or what violent threats are thrown at them. 

We must do our part to call out sexist, misogynistic, violent and gendered language whenever and wherever we see it and hear it. In particular, the onus is on men to educate themselves and each other on the consequences of the language they use about women, not only because of the impact this language has on today’s woman leaders, but more importantly because of the impact it has on Michigan’s girls and boys striving to become tomorrow’s leaders.

More:Full evidence of Gov. Whitmer’s attempted kidnapping may never be known

More:Feds: Domestic terrorists plotted to attack Capitol, kidnap Gov. Whitmer and target cops

Our culture must take violence against women seriously. It is one thing to disagree with a woman’s politics, with her leadership decisions or with her stance on specific issues. It is entirely a more dangerous thing to wrap that disagreement in sexist tropes and jokes about violence, which is just a step away from violent acts being carried out. Just ask any one of the nearly two million women who are physically assaulted in this country each year.

Let us all refuse to "get used to it." Instead, let’s all continue encouraging women to keep standing up, speaking out, making decisions and leading with their full authentic selves.

Cheryl Bergman is director of the Michigan Women’s Commission. The commission's work includes reviewing the status of women in Michigan, directing attention to critical problems confronting women, recommending ways of overcoming discrimination, enabling women to develop skills, and recognizing women’s contributions to Michigan. To learn more about the Michigan Women’s Commission, go to Michigan.gov/mwc.