Society has not given us an equal status

Iwould like to believe that women have equal rights. But there is still a difference, especially when it comes to societal perspective. My mum is now a homemaker, but all her life she worked as a teacher. That is a typical job that women were expected to have back then. My father was in agriculture and he worked in a different emirate altogether. Society still expects a man to study and work. When walking in a mall, women are asked not to call for attention. We are still expected to come home early, while a man could be out all night. Society has not given us an equal status.

At work, things are improving. Ever since I started working, my position has been one that can be filled by a man or woman. It was never gender specific. My job requires a lot of travelling and people would assume it’s something only a man can do. But there I am carrying my laptop, projector and other equipment and travelling long distances. But despite that, I believe that equal rights for women can only be possible if we stand up for each other. My boss is a woman and it is really nice to work with her. But she is an exception. From what I have noticed, women bosses are usually nasty towards other women and get along just fine with men associates. I think there’s a factor of competition that remains unconsciously. We are trying to prove that we are better and this doesn’t kick in with someone of the opposite gender because we assume we’re not in the same race. This could only change if we deal with each other as individuals, regardless of gender and race. Give a person a chance before you judge him or her. If you form an opinion based on a person’s gender, the negativity will never disappear. From Ms Laila Al Nahawi A senior training specialist based in Dubai