‘Invisibility is an overrated superpower when it comes to women in workplace’
Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesman for social justice and equalities, on the need for women to be in the room where decisions are made
“IWISH I was invisible” – said by many an enthusiastic child, picking this particular superpower from the many tempting choices on offer.
Imagine the possibilities for endless fun if no-one could see you there!
As an adult, we’re perhaps more likely to say that after doing something embarrassing – after all, the ability to switch this superpower on and off would have its benefits.
But what happens when half the adult population actually do feel invisible when it comes to being in the workplace – with no off switch?
Being overlooked when it comes to job opportunities or training, and nobody paying attention to you when you’re trying to make your voice heard?
That’s what a recent report by Chwarae Teg, a gender equality charity based in Wales, found. They say that “too many women” aged 50 and over feel invisible and overlooked by employers, government and society.
Let’s start with the sheer volume of people this is impacting. There are nearly 700,000 women over the age of 50 living in Wales, and three-quarters of them are in work. In fact, women aged between 50 and 64 account for a quarter of all adult women living in Wales. We’re not talking a small portion of the working population here.
That’s thousands of women – who have just as many diverse life experiences as their male counterparts, and arguably more life experience than their younger colleagues. And yet the discrimination they face renders them, and their needs, almost invisible in too many workplaces.
Practically, that means they’re facing discrimination based on pre-conceived ideas regarding their abilities and limits. For example, a quarter of women reported their employers thought they had less energy, less ambition, and were less tech savvy. It is somewhat ironic, then, to learn that a third of women reported that they’re not receiving training they need.
The discrimination is also apparent in how some workplaces’ diversity and inclusion policies don’t explicitly reference the menopause or gendered ageism.
Menopause affects nearly every woman, and a third of menopausal women have had to take time off work due to menopausal symptoms, yet less than half had felt able to tell their manager the real reason for their absence.
You wouldn’t feel you’d have to hide the reason for your absence if you’d broken your leg.
Arguably, since the menopause is much more likely to affect workers than broken limbs, it should be easier to talk about because it’s such a common health issue. But perhaps you have to be visible to be seen to talk about menopause?
The report lays down a clear challenge to government, too. In my line of work I see too many instances of women facing discrimination, or simply being ignored.
Take health.
The UK has the largest female health gap in the G20 and the 12th largest globally.
Women experience poorer health outcomes, receive less health monitoring, and are prescribed more potentially harmful medication compared to men.
Is it any surprise when, traditionally, medical research is carried out by men, on men, for the benefit of men?
The outcome of this is that we have chronic conditions such as endometriosis, which affects one in 10 women and which can be so severe it leaves the sufferer housebound, for which we still don’t know the cause.
In Wales, there are just two fully accredited endometriosis specialist centres, and one provisional centre – none of which are north of the M4. Not surprisingly, these are at capacity.
And then the quite frankly ridiculous situation when a major tech giant released an app that lets “you see your whole health picture” – including such amazing features as being able to monitor your copper and selenium intake. Just one small problem – it failed to include a period tracker.
As most women who have periods know, tracking the regularity of your period can help highlight other health issues like stress, hormone problems and other illnesses.
Now try to tell me that women
aren’t invisible.
This gender-based invisibility is so widespread in our world that it’s the subject of a best-selling book by Caroline Criado Perez, aptly called Invisible Women. In her own words her book shows us how “in a world largely built for and by men, we are systematically ignoring half the population”.
So many of these problems – and the root of much gender-based discrimination – is that women aren’t always in the room where decisions are made.
The sad truth is that we can raise awareness all we want, but unless the structures and cultures change in our workplaces, in our healthcare system, and in our parliaments, then we won’t get the changes we desire.
That’s why Senedd reform is so important here in Wales. Plaid Cymru has already started this work, through our Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government, in which we’ve both agreed to support plans to reform the Welsh Parliament which would include gender quotas by law.
Having a gender-balanced Senedd will be such an important start to ensuring that women’s voices are heard, and will be a shining example to the rest of Wales and indeed to the world as to what can be done to ensure we see and hear women when the decisions that affect their lives are made.
Because if women around Wales can see themselves in seats of power, it will help make them feel seen. And hopefully, if we can find the off switch for that invisibility, we will all see Wales, and how we shape it, in a new light.