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Are you aware of the fact that gender bias starts even before a child is born? How many of you have wanted to ask or have asked someone whou2019s due for delivery, u201cDo you want a girl or a boy?u2019u2019 or u201cWill you be happy if itu2019s a girl or a boy?u201dWhile mostly urban parents show gender bias that is based on centuries-old religious beliefs and sayings from ancient times; in rural areas discrimination in the form of denial or ignorance of female childu2019s education, health, nutrition, and recreational needs are still prevalent. In extreme cases, female infanticide and selective abortion of female foetuses continue to exist.
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Sports • What happened to girls who pursued sports as their career? • Indian women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj feels they should not be compared to their male counterparts and laments the lack of recognition despite representing a country where the sport reigns supreme. • The veteran player Mithali Raj came up with a snappy response when asked who her favourite men’s cricketer was between India and Pakistan. • “Do you ask the same question to a male cricketer? Do you ask them who their favourite female cricketer is?” she said to the scribe in question. I have always been asked who’s your favourite cricketer but you should ask them who their favourite female cricketer is.” • So what are the reasons for such discrimination, one wonders. As one of the leading newspapers recently claimed, “Sports is ultimately about the human body, which is why it is a remarkable barometer of the physical differences between men and women and the social perceptions about these differences.”
Common Gender biases at work that women face • It starts right from hiring –“Are you married? When do you plan to start your family?” With the intention to know if the person will go on maternity leave immediately or not. • Lower appraisal rating for a lady on maternity leave as compared to another peer who has performed for 12 months • “Since your husband also earns you may not be desperate for that hike.” • “You have the luxury of leaving early from work.” • If women leaves her job to start her own venture, it is considered as a time pass activity. • Wrongly assuming that if the lady is pregnant or is a young mother, she will not be able to handle that promotion and the new role.
The way forward • Work-life balance in today’s context is especially important for married women with children. Even though technology has facilitated telecommuting and the ability to stay connected irrespective of someone’s location, concrete steps to better work-life policies are still under-developed. However, to shape and mould an equal hierarchical structure, it’s important to change mind-sets of individuals within organizations. • The leaders of corporate India, especially the large number of men that find themselves in their position, must take steps to address this inequality. Mechanisms must be promoted to address patriarchal biases and policies must be established to abolish gender inequalities in the workplace. Most importantly, a free space for dialogue should be created where employees can speak about discriminations they face while working in an organization.
