Wait, what? The new Thor is a woman?

What’s the word for when you Google something and – 15 clicks later – end up somewhere entirely different?

It’s how my search for “the origin of donuts” landed me at a site about crash test dummies. And that’s where I learned about THOR-5F. Short for Test device for Human Occupant Restraint, the ‘5F’ version had been created to help autoengineers build vehicles that are safer for women.

The original THOR was based on the average male physique and, as such, women’s safety needs weren’t being factored into car designs. It’s why women are 73 percent more likely than men to be injured in a car accident. 

In the early days of airbags, for example, women were more likely to be hurt by a bag inflating than the actual crash. That’s because the positioning and pressure of the airbags were designed to protect the average male body, represented by crash test dummies like the original THOR.

Gender bias like this has been unwittingly built into many of the products and procedures we use every day. Both Apple and Samsung have been criticised for creating phones too big to fit in the hands of the average-sized woman. 

If you’re wondering why women might be wearing jackets in the office on a summer’s day, it’s because the aircon is often set to cool men’s bodies which typically feel the heat more (by about three degrees celsius). 

Even the language we use to recruit staff can unintentionally make the role look like a bad fit for women, who will simply not apply despite being ideal candidates. 

From position descriptions to power tools, medical research to public bathrooms – you’d be forgiven for underestimating just how pervasive the man-size-fits-all approach is. And for how it’s impacting your clients and colleagues.

Thankfully, the way we design our world and work is changing. Companies are increasingly seeking to include the ‘other 50 percent’ in the design of their products and practices. The trick is knowing that we need to in the first place. 

Perhaps every workplace needs its own metaphorical THOR-5F. A chance to assess the impact of our procedures and policies and to test how gender inclusive they are. 

Oh, and as for the origin of donuts, apparently a sailor didn’t like the soggy centre of fried cakes so he cut them out. And if anyone knows the term for the 15-click ‘down-the-rabbit-hole’ Google search, please let me know. I expect it’s one thing that is actually universal to us all.