Say ‘Yes’ to annihilating gender bias

THE 2016 theme for International Women’s Day was “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality” and the talk of women getting more seats at the table has been the buzz with the constitution giving more room to women. I ask myself today, ‘Do women have a seat at the table? Should women be screaming for their right to have such a seat? What’s all the talk about sitting at a table really about? How can we get a 50-50 seat at the table?’

I find this discussion unfortunate as we should be thinking about more important things - such as better education, healthcare, economic growth and a more peaceful world. Yet, we are always led back to the, sometimes more important, point of why women don’t have, and should have, a seat at the table.

The fact is women have all the opportunities of getting a seat at the table but something, an immoveable object is standing in their way. Let’s call it the elephant in the room. In other words, the topic on which no one really wants to elaborate.

It is the fact that only women can get pregnant and give birth! There, I said it. Men and women are different. No matter what men do, at least at this moment in time, they are not able to give birth. That in itself according to Sigmund Freud is the factor that causes gender bias.

It has been evidently proven in the recent happenings in our telecoms sector, where an obviously competent woman could have lost her seat at the table because she went on maternity leave while she was still on probation. How archaic especially with the strides we have made in the gender equilib- rium journey! Why is it still important for women to declare their copulation results in an interview or to a prospective employer, are their counterparts required to declare if their partners are ‘in the family way’? Compliments to the woman in question not only has she shown up to the table but within 3 weeks of being in the organisation she proved wrong the porridge brain syndrome myth and sent the business on a journey it has never been before….

There is still an undercurrent of belief that if a woman had her hand near the button that she would blow up the world if it was her time of the month - well, you know the outcome. Yet, history around the world tells a completely different story. Women tend to bring a more congenial, egalitarian approach to their work in government, business and everywhere else they have an opportunity to share an opinion. A very recent example of the competency of women regardless of their season or cycle being the aforementioned telecoms executive who despite being with child and seemingly having been employed in her last trimester made an impact in the organisation.

Getting a seat at the table means having an opportunity to share a different perspective, one that is based on experiences. Doesn’t it make sense that in an ever-changing, 24 /7 world, that the greater diversity of perspective would provide the greater likelihood of solutions? I commend the albeit male dominated telecoms board for upholding reason and securing a seat at the table for the very capable and competent ‘nursing mother’/ female executive.

My question is how do we impress upon women and men to understand the importance of women getting that seat at the table?

They may start off equal to their male counterparts, but within a few years on the job they begin to lag in influence and salary. It is critical to make the point that just because they are women doesn’t mean that their opinions don’t have value. As a matter of fact, it just may be that women’s opinions may be exactly the ideas society needs to listen more too.

Here is a question for the women, ‘Are you sitting at the tables where key decisions are being made? Are you part of the process or just part of the landscape?’ Marwa Sharafeldin succinctly says, ‘If you are not at the table, you will become the menu.’

I work with professional women and women entrepreneurs who are content to stand back and keep their opinions to themselves as long as their position is not jeopardized.

What they often don’t understand is that this unwillingness to speak up, and stir things up if necessary, keeps women’s voices mute. I believe that my voice matters - not just for me, but for all the women I represent. Of course, my opinions don’t speak for all women, but my voice does demonstrate that women have as much right to a seat at the table as men.

A seat at the table is more than a cute saying describing women’s rights to be heard and accepted. Every woman in business, and involved in any aspect of their community, must take it seriously to heart. Think of it like the little game of musical chairs you played as a kid. Just make sure you set your eye on the chair and make it yours - then speak your mind.

After all the talk of gender equality why is it that of 197 heads of state, only 22 are women, of the top Fortune 500 companies by revenues, only 21 are headed by women and politics, women hold just 18 percent of the political pie?

I implore every man with a daughter to begin dismantling every existing gender bias from their psyche right up to the boardroom. I don’t believe that you send your daughters through an expensive education system for them to be relegated to the dog box in their careers or be judged on the basis of their biological difference, age or marital status.

I hope we can begin to authentically SAY YES to abolishing gender bias.