We all hear a lot these days educated modern feminist voices say “we want justice, we want equality”. I truly wonder what equality is for these women? First of all, what feminist mean?
Google says feminism is the belief in full social, economic, and political equality for women. Why is maleist or maleism not as evident as feminist or feminism?
I also wonder! Did God make a mistake? in creating three different human species like men women and transgender, creating them biologically different. One beautiful, fragile, tender woman? And one macho strong man? And one in between is still trying to create their own space. Beauty comes with a price of monthly periods, pain, child birth, hormonal changes etc.
But men get respect of being head everywhere be it in family or in any corporations just because he is a man taller and stronger than woman physically. Why such a difference?
Does this inequality go away any time? Is this what feminist trying to address? Is it beyond the capacity of a woman to fix?
Well, as I dwell deep into it, I understand that what women are fighting is not physical equality, but it is societal. Seeing women as equal partners or contributors irrespective of their physical strengths. Respecting women for playing roles which are incomprehensible by men, such as child birth, being emotionally invested in family and work, etc.
Woman is trying her best to strike a balance between all the roles she plays as a mom, sister, daughter, professional, wife, a friend and a good citizen to the society, most of these roles are non-paid thankless jobs, which women are used to performing for generations now under the shelter of father, brother, husband and son?
To address this issue of earning respect, women evolved from financial dependency to financial independence. She thought this would fix all the problems and earn her respect both at home and at the work place, it did work but unfortunately, in the process her responsibilities magnified as she was playing a role of both men and women.
Hence, it’s important for women to offload some of her home responsibilities to her partner or spouse or seek help from family, friends or hire support like nannies etc. Women have equal rights to evolve as a thorough professional be it as a doctor, engineer, advocate, tax or business consultant, business leader, politician, artist, etc. She has every right to raise her ranks to make it to top leadership positions.
Women in corporate leadership
Many criticize women being incompetent to attain leadership positions citing her incapability to protect herself physically or getting too emotional at work etc. In fact, having women in the workforce is an added advantage to the corporate world, to compete and raise productivity of themselves and their male co-workers, as women are way more emotionally stronger than men which they themselves aren’t aware of unless they are put to test.
But it is also true that both men and women need some grooming and training on nuances which helps them deal with corporate leadership challenges. Some of the women leaders are extremely successful in handling their growth and balancing all their responsibilities which their jobs put forth, be it PepsiCo erstwhile chairman Indra Nooyi or present GM chairman/CEO Marry Barra.
Perhaps women on top mostly face a strong stigma or gossip behind their back as being unchaste, she might have stamped on all the wrong foots to get into the leadership positions, instead of earning it through sheer merits. In fact, some capable women stay out of this league only fearing such harassment and gossip.
Women entrepreneurs
Kudos to millennial and Gen Z women who have taken a strong plunge into being independent entrepreneurs taking all the business risks and problems on their best strides. However, many still complain about not having enough resources to support women entrepreneurs to grow and take their businesses to the next levels.
Women in politics
Irrespective of a developed or developing nation women in politics remain more of a first lady than a primer herself, till today the United States hasn’t had a woman president? Although India had Iron lady Indira Gandhi as prime minister twice. Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher known for her bold leadership in UK, Golda Meir of Israel, Angela Merkel of Germany stood out as the most powerful female head of government. However, barring few exceptions, are women in politics still a distant dream? As many women do not show interest nor are they presented with such opportunities to lead.
Truth is men are by default allowed to be a leader at home, women are made follower to her father or husband? Which inhibits her from exploring her full potential, which demoralizes women to choose mostly support roles in life rather than to be a chief or captain. Equal and fair opportunities will fix these issues, “women don’t need anybody’s sympathy but sheer empathy is fine, no women should be selected or promoted because she is a woman but it should be because she is capable and has potential, competence, caliber, and suitability for the role”.
It’s not just men who face issues of honey trapping but women leaders or women in powerful positions also face similar challenges. It should not refrain women from being part of politics or in leadership positions. Today challenges of leadership are applicable to both men and women equally, it’s no more gender centric.
Women in finance or technologies
Women choose mostly roles like receptionist, sales reps, personal secretaries, models, actresses, etc. they almost rule the beauty industries than finance or technologies, thanks to development in software industries which are creating more equal opportunities for women unlike manufacturing or semiconductors, which were predominantly male focused. Things are changing today as we see more women in police, law enforcement or as scientists, judges, administrators etc. Women are open to exploring different arenas of opportunities trying to overcome all her shortcomings, and criticisms of being extremely jealous and shortsighted at the workplace.
Women in the workplace
We see more gender mix in almost all industries today unlike a few decades ago, even in most advanced nations like America, we saw many stay-at-home moms. Amidst
increase in women workforce which is adding to the family and countries per capita income, leading to increased spending, raise in standards of living for families.
As the old Sanskrit adage goes “ Udyogam purusha lakshanam” means all men should be working and contributing to the economy, working men earn dignity and respect in society, now this same phrase could be tweaked a bit as “ Udyogam sthree purusha lakshanam” meaning both working men and women confer respect in the society and it is the need of the hour as both can stand as equal partners contributing at workplace and at home, respecting and supporting each other for their passion, hard work and for their both financial & physical contributions.
That being said even till date women face harassments, politics, eve teasing or rape attempts at workplace, which refrains her from stepping outside the home and joining the workforce. Strong law enforcement could help fix these issues.
Some might argue women’s financial freedom is the cause for her family car to hit the dead-end rock miserably crippling down, tearing apart everything she had built for ages. Ie. Peaceful/ happy family. But the fact is because of financial freedom women are able to stand up on her feet and ask for respect and equal opportunities.
Self-esteem and mental well-being
Working is good for each individual’s self-esteem and their mental health, parenting a child is not a woman’s job alone likewise taking financial responsibilities of a family is not a man’s job alone. Both family and finances should be equally shared between both the partners.
Women need a career break only for a few months during or after childbirth so that she need not waste her entire life limiting herself to the walls of home being a financial burden on others.
As many scholars say raising children is a 20 year project, to make sure that they are grown with the right attitude and personality to be an asset to the county, state or country in which they are born, and raised, which requires equal contribution from both the parents.
However, it’s always nice to see women retain her femininity of being naïve & fragile. Afterall beauty demands soberness not manliness. What I mean is we can’t change the nature of men being strong, and women beautiful, instead of wasting time asking for freedom or equality or secluding ourself from each other trying to build a feminist world without men, or masculine world without women, it’s time to create equal opportunities for both and work with opposite sex and embrace each other’s uniqueness and differences. By educating each other on our special nature, and unique challenges we face where we need each other as a support function.
Any capable woman deserves to be on top, in leadership positions as much as any capable man. Enough of those days of domestic violence, suppression or domination by men.
Enough of those days of emotional atyachar (emotional blackmail) and dramas of women at home. Male chauvinism could be easily squashed at the workplace by women through her poise, dignity, thoughtfulness and toughness along with other leadership qualities.
Ultimately, it is no longer men versus women or vice versa. Instead, accepting women need men as much as men need women, AND the workforce needs them both.
Let us shake hands, understand each other’s nature and just go with it.