“Fight for the things you care about, but do so in a way that will lead others to join you.” -RBG Join us in the “fight” for gender equity in otolaryngology! In 2019 for the first time in history, women made up >50% of incoming U.S. medical students. Despite this increase, there has not been proportionate growth of female representation in surgical specialties like otolaryngology, where women comprise just 34.3% of residents and 18.9% of practicing otolaryngologists. The gender gap is even worse in academic medicine, particularly within leadership positions and within certain subspecialties. Women have the knowledge base and drive required of otolaryngology and academia, so why aren’t more of them choosing it? In 2020, the AAMC issued a call to action on gender equity, acknowledging it as a key factor in achieving excellence in medicine. It is vital for otolaryngology departments to focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting women. The presence of female role models and the mentorship they can provide is crucial. Beyond mentorship, successful recruitment and retainment of females relies on improving culture and climate. Issues such as unconscious gender biases and demands of family life need to be openly addressed. In a 2018 AAO-HNS survey sent to female otolaryngologists, only 31% felt residency training was harassment-free, and a staggering 83% felt it is “somewhat to very difficult” to manage work-life balance. This interactive panel will be led by four fellowship-trained, academic otolaryngologists, will highlight gender biases, and will discuss ways both men & women can implement change. Audience participation is highly encouraged. By the end of this session, participants will understand the current barriers women face, how to empower female otolaryngologists, and how to work towards an equitable practice environment. Both men & women can close the gender gap in otolaryngology, and both men & women will reap the benefits. Concepts can be extrapolated to improve culture and climate for other underrepresented populations within our field.