When a Woman fails to do a job, people don’t say, ‘She couldn’t do it.’ People say, ‘Women do not have what it takes! When a man gets up to speak, people listen and then look. When a woman gets up, people look; then, if they like what they see, they listen.  Is gender discrimination at work an obvious outright abuse or are there logical reasons behind why Women need to push themselves hard, to get noticed. Let’s find out –

• You are going to hate this but this is how it is: Women are physically inferior to men. P.T. Usha doesn’t run with Usain Bolt and Sania Mirza doesn’t compete with Roger Federer Nadal. Having said that, women aren’t usually suitable for a job profile that is very laborious. Almost all chefs are males, even if cooking is women’s forte. The reason stands tall. Cooking for a couple of hours is effortless; cooking for 10 hours in a steamy sweltering kitchen is backbreaking.

• After completing professional education, women hunt for jobs just as men. At this time, girls are around 23, on the brink of an average marital age. Companies don’t want to invest in a candidate without any assurance that the person will stay. Marriage may mean a change in the city. Girls are usually asked to sign a bond that says that they can’t get married within X years and would be indebted to pay Y amount if they leave. Marriage and pregnancy might be a ‘happy investment’ for families but it is not so, from the companies’ point of view. While the entire nation beamed and chuckled at the news of Aishwarya’s pregnancy, Madhur Bhandarkar went into rage. He was right, he ought to be informed. They had started shooting for his film Heroine and a pregnancy meant a ‘loss’ to him.

• Married women and mommies aren’t open to traveling. A woman can’t leave her feeding baby, bed-ridden in-laws and a spouse on a short notice.

• Economic discrimination is not limited to labors. A top actress always gets paid less than a top actor. For it is assumed that an actor has to take care of himself and his family. For an actress, or any other working female, it is assumed that her husband also contributes to the family income. It can’t be assumed that the husband doesn’t work for a man’s career defines him while a woman might work for a time being and resort to the reclining sofa at home. All of this makes a woman a lesser bet. Not inferior in any sense, but not overtly suitable either.

 Case Study: Mr. Pervert at Work

‘Come to dinner with me,’ said my Boss. It was definitely not a request. It was an order. I jumped as soon as I saw him. Obviously, this wasn’t the ‘first’ time I jumped after seeing him.

A month ago, I had stayed for a few more hours at work to complete an assignment. I suppose my bra tag was sticking out that day, and my Boss tried to tuck it in without even asking. I jumped in panic. My first jump at seeing him. He smiled and left it at that. A few days later, he apologized. He told me that he realized what he had done was inappropriate and I believed him. Being a twenty something, I did believe that people are good at heart.

Until, it happened again. This come to dinner with me.

‘Excuse me?’ I sputtered, utterly confused, as my 50 something Boss loomed over me with a smug expression.

‘You should come to dinner with me.’

This was not happening. This. Was. Not. happening. ‘Is it an office party? In what context?’  I asked sheepishly.

‘You KNOW in what context,’ he blurred. As if I owed something to him. As if it was my duty to hand over ‘myself’ to him.

The only option I came close to was a giggle. I giggled to ease the situation. Perhaps, more so to save my job. I barely managed to say, ‘I have a boyfriend,’ even though I had never had any.

Boss made a direct and sickening eye contact and said, ‘So? Koi nai. Chalega.‘

‘So no!’ I barely managed. People have told me I speak with confidence. Only if they could have seen me then, completely on the verge of crying. He stood tall and erect in front of me. All rigid and ready to take me with him. I couldn’t ‘hold’ myself anymore and started crying.

My last words to my boss were, ‘I’m sorry but no!’  I have no idea why the fuck did I apologize. But I did. I never went to the office again. I didn’t say anything to my colleagues. I didn’t apply to any other company. It doesn’t feel safe anymore.

The post Why do Women Need to Prove More appeared first on Health Indian.