Preventing sexism in the workplace.

Jan 21, 2026 by Lola Fiorio

When games become a tool for awareness, dialogue, and action.

Sexism at work is neither a myth nor an old story dusted off only on March 8th. It is still present. Sometimes very visible. Sometimes hidden behind a "joke," a "poor choice of words," or an "oh, don't get upset, I didn't mean anything by it."

Even if initiatives are flourishing, talking about sexism in companies is not easy. However, board games provide a gentle, friendly, and non-confrontational way to address "sensitive" topics. It is therefore a very effective tool for breaking the ice and opening discussions on the subject.

Additionally, in the new version of the game Moi c’est Madame, we have created a dedicated category for "Sexism at work." It was designed to be used within companies.

Yes, it's a game. And no, it's no less serious. On the contrary!

The purpose of this article is to offer you concrete ways to use the game Moi c'est Madame in your events, awareness workshops, or training sessions in a professional setting.

Addressing the issue of sexism in the workplace helps to dismantle certain deeply entrenched old ideas.

Doing it with a friendly, fun, and dynamic game is even better for reaching a large number of people.

Sexism in the workplace: a persistent observation.

In France, sexism at work remains a reality for a large proportion of female employees:

77% of female employees report regularly encountering sexist remarks or decisions in their professional environment, according to the #StOpE barometer.
The average gender pay gap in France in 2025 is 22.3%, according to Business and Professional Women (BPW)
2 out of 3 women have experienced sexist behavior in meetings (interruption, trivialization of their ideas, etc.), #StOpE barometer.

So the framework exists, and so do the intentions… But in real office life, sexism quietly continues its career!

Hence the need for mechanisms to move things forward.

How to prevent sexism in the workplace?

The legal framework: clear obligations.

Labor law now offers a robust arsenal for preventing and punishing sexism:

The Labor Code prohibits sexist acts and defines sexual harassment.
A harassment referent is mandatory for all companies with a CSE (Social and Economic Committee), i.e., from 11 employees upwards.
The Professional Equality Index must be published annually.
The EU directive on pay transparency (applicable by 2026) imposes greater clarity on pay gaps.
France has ratified ILO Convention 190, which recognizes the right to work free from violence and harassment.

In short: sexism officially has no place at work. The rules are there, and so are the levers.

But a central question remains for many organizations: how to bring these principles to life within teams, beyond texts and regulatory obligations?

The game Moi c’est Madame, a key lever for preventing sexism in the workplace

Addressing the issue of sexism in the workplace is particularly delicate. In a professional context, certain challenges between colleagues, managers, and managed employees can be complex.

Because it's a game, Moi c’est Madame helps to break down hierarchical barriers. The game highlights experience and is based on real, but anonymous, situations derived from testimonials from women across France. No one is directly targeted. No one is accused. We play a role. We put ourselves in someone else's shoes. And this distance is essential to be able to talk about sexism within an organization.

Understand and feel

In the game, men put themselves in women's shoes and confront repeated sexist attacks. This will then allow for richer discussions, based on empathy rather than defensiveness.

For women, the game plays an equally fundamental role: it shows that they are not alone in experiencing these situations. It helps to clearly identify sexist microaggressions that are often trivialized and legitimizes their feelings.

Many women still tell themselves: "It's not that serious," "I'm too sensitive," "I'm the problem." By playing Moi c'est Madame, women (re)gain self-confidence and feel legitimate in setting their boundaries and asserting themselves.

A tool designed for the real needs of businesses.

Because all companies are different and needs vary greatly, we created the game Moi c'est Madame so that it can easily adapt to everyone's objectives, audience, and timing.

The game can be used to:

open up discussion on this topic within a team
help managers recognize problematic situations,
train teams to recognize sexist microaggressions,
serve as a discussion tool with harassment referents,
in benevolent listening spaces in a non-mixed setting if needed.

Thus, the game Moi c’est Madame will give you keys to react to sexism. Thanks to the game's content, drawn from real-life experience, you will be able to more easily defuse certain situations before they escalate. Finally, thanks to the game, you can create a space for collective discussion and reflection to initiate an action plan to address sexist discrimination.

Because a healthy work environment is built before a crisis, not just after.

8 variations of the game Moi c'est Madame for your company events

The proposed formats were designed taking into account the constraints of the professional world: durations are variable (from 5 to 45 minutes), formats are modular and can be easily interrupted. They can be run in mixed-gender, single-gender, or chosen-gender settings. The game Moi c'est Madame adapts to your objectives: awareness, training, listening space, team cohesion.

Here are several game variations chosen based on themes. They integrate into your meetings, training sessions, seminars, in a light and flexible way.

1. EXPRESS COMEBACK

Objective: Practice quick wit in response to sexist remarks
Format: A fast, fun, and highly effective icebreaker
Participants: 2 to 10 people
Duration: 5 to 10 minutes
Material: A few Attack cards
Process: The facilitator chooses an Attack card and reads it aloud. The first participant to offer a relevant comeback wins the card. We quickly move on to other cards.
Ideal for: Warming up a group at the beginning of a workshop and encouraging discussion on the topic.

2. SUPER HEROINE

Objective: Discover individual personalities and build team cohesion
Format: Creative presentation activity
Participants: 2 to 6 people
Duration: 15 to 25 minutes
Material: The 5 Profile cards + paper + pencils
Process:

Each participant reads the 5 profiles provided in the game
Each person shares: "Which profile do I think I am? And why?"
Then each person creates their own "anti-sexism superheroine" profile:
- What is my name? (e.g., The Determined One, The Creative One…)
- What is my superpower against sexism?
- What quality do I want to develop?
- Which other superheroine could help me?
Each participant presents their creation to the group

Ideal for: Fostering mutual understanding and creating a climate of trust within a team.

3. ONE DAY SOMEONE TOLD ME…

Objective: Help each other respond to real-life situations
Format: Collaborative workshop in small groups
Participants: 3 to 12 people, in groups of 3
Duration: 20 minutes
Material: Paper + pencils
Process:

Each participant anonymously writes down a sexist attack they have experienced or observed
The facilitator redistributes 3 attacks per group anonymously
In subgroups, participants collectively imagine possible responses
In plenary, each group shares its best comebacks

Bonus: You can organize a vote for the most impactful comebacks… and send them to us to enrich the game!
Ideal for: Starting from participants' experiences and collectively building intelligence.

4. ONE DAY I'LL SAY

Objective: Find a concrete comeback to use in one's real professional life
Format: Personal projection workshop
Participants: 2 to 10 people
Duration: 10 to 20 minutes
Material: Comeback cards
Process:

Spread all the Comeback cards on the table
Each participant chooses one:
- Either one they wished they had said one day
- Or one they want to try in a future situation
Each person shares: "Why this comeback? In what situation could I say it?"

Ideal for: Concretely embedding learning and preparing participants to act in real life.

5. STOP OR CONTINUE

Objective: Develop feminist general knowledge in a fun way
Format: Guessing game with risk-taking
Participants: 4 people
Duration: 15 to 20 minutes
Material: The 6 Challenge cards (whose answer is a number)
Process:

The cards are placed face down
The speaker reads the question from a card
The first person announces a number
The next person must either:
- Announce a higher number
- Say "Stop!" if they think it's already too much
The answer is revealed:
- If the answer is below the last number announced → the person who gave that number wins the card
- If the answer was lower → the one who said "Stop!" wins the card
The next person becomes the speaker
The one who collects the most cards wins the game

Ideal for: Raising awareness of statistics and key facts on gender equality in an interactive way.

6. THE ANTI-BFM

Objective: Open debate without pressure or judgment
Format: Free discussion based on cards
Participants: 1 to 10 people
Duration: 10 to 30 minutes
Material: Attack cards + Comeback cards
Process:

Spread the cards on the table
Each participant chooses a card that particularly resonates with them
Each person explains in turn:
- What bothered them about this situation
- What it reminds them of
- Why this situation is problematic

Very often, a rich and nuanced debate naturally emerges from these testimonials.

Ideal for: Creating a space for authentic dialogue and deepening collective reflection.

7. FORUM THEATRE

Objective: Find concrete solutions and test them together
Format: Role-playing with audience intervention
Participants: 4 to 12 people
Duration: 30 to 45 minutes
Material: The MCM game + a "stage" area
Process:

Two volunteers re-enact a sexist situation experienced or drawn from the cards
The audience observes and then suggests improvements
A volunteer participant enters the scene to test their solution live
Collective exchange on what worked, what got stuck, and what can be implemented daily

This format allows for immediate action, often very powerful, and promotes learning through experimentation.

Ideal for: Going beyond theory and concretely experimenting with collective action strategies.

Get the new edition of the game Moi c'est Madame

What to do in case of sexism?

If, despite everything, acts of sexist violence occur, the first thing to do is to support the person concerned, or to ask for help if one is the person concerned.

→ For the victim or witness

A few key, simple but essential reflexes: First, do not remain alone, talk to a trusted colleague, a staff representative, or the harassment referent. Then, one can document the facts, meaning noting dates, places, comments made, and any witnesses. It is important to officially report, by contacting the harassment referent, HR, or management.

This is why it is essential to know your rights! Right of withdrawal in certain cases, protection against retaliation: the law is also there for that.

→ For the company (yes, it also has an active role)

When a report is made, certain steps are not optional:

First, take every report seriously and immediately protect the person concerned.
Then, conduct a swift, rigorous, and impartial internal investigation.
Sanction inappropriate behavior proportionally
Strengthen prevention to prevent the situation from recurring.

Sources:

1. https://www.ipsos.com/fr-fr/pour-3-femmes-sur-4-les-attitudes-et-decisions-sexistes-dans-leur-environnement-professionnel
2. https://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/resultats-2024-de-lindex-egalite-professionnelle-et-de-la-representation-equilibree