🎧Inclusion Benefits Everyone – with Mark Freed

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📝 Episode Summary:

In this episode of Intersecting Voices, we sit down with Mark Freed, cofounder of Men for Inclusion, to talk about his extraordinary journey from being an undiagnosed dyslexic student pushed out of school, to becoming a successful entrepreneur and a leading advocate for gender inclusion. Mark shares openly about growing up in a working-class family, navigating the corporate world by masking his background and neurodivergence, and how these experiences shaped his passion for equity.

Host Sonia Pérez reflects on her own working-class upbringing and late ADHD diagnosis, drawing powerful parallels with Mark’s story. Together, they explore what true inclusion looks like—not just for women, but for men, parents, neurodivergent people, and anyone who’s ever felt they didn’t belong.

This episode is a powerful reminder that inclusion isn’t a zero-sum game—it’s something that benefits everyone.

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🎧 Why You Should Listen to This Episode

This conversation is for you if:

• ✅ You or someone you love lives with dyslexia and you want to better understand it — from childhood to adulthood
• ✅ You’re parenting a neurodivergent child and want hope, tools, and perspective on how support systems have evolved
• ✅ You’ve ever been told you weren’t good enough, but deep down knew you had more to offer
• ✅ You’re curious about the strengths, challenges, and everyday coping strategies of living with dyslexia
• ✅ You’ve had to mask—pretend to be someone you’re not—to fit in at school or work
• ✅ You care about real inclusion, not performative gestures—changing environments, not people
• ✅ You want to understand how gender roles affect everyone, and why systemic change is necessary
• ✅ You’re building a more compassionate world for your children and want stories that inspire belief in what’s possible

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👤 About the Guest:

Mark Freed is the cofounder of Men for Inclusion, an organisation working to engage everyone as active allies in driving equity at work. Formerly the founder of E2W, which supported women in financial services for over 25 years, Mark has contributed to initiatives including the UK Government’s Sexism in the City inquiry, The Women in Finance Charter, and the Diversity Project. He’s passionate about building inclusive workplaces where everyone—regardless of gender, background, or neurotype—can thrive.

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🔗Resources:

Website: Home – Men for Inclusion

LinkedIn: Men for Inclusion: Overview | LinkedIn

Instagram: Men for Inclusion | Instagram

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