Our experiences with gender identities which are ascribed and imposed on us, begin from the day we are born. In this sense, the horizons of our lived experiences regarding the same are very limited compared to the ongoing processes of social construction that the society has been conveniently indulging in since ages. Such creations of gender and sexual identities generate certain barriers for every individual, thereby infringing on their freedom, agency and potential, in ways which may not be visible at the outset. These norms, barriers and narratives, thus, go deeper, becoming the foundation of even larger systems such as the patriarchal set-up. Such systems are encountered, felt, resisted, and even subverted in different spaces occupied by individuals. A prominent example of the same can be the Workspace, that is, a space wherein particular gender performances are enacted as a result of the materialization of cultural norms (Tyler & Cohen, 2010).
For the longest time, women have been restricted to the four walls of their households, while men have been given the responsibility to move out, work and earn money to provide for their families. This understanding has been embedded in the society so deeply that it refuses to be rejected till date. However, a closer look at the situation would reveal that even women, as housewives, tend to provide support to their families. The only difference is that their work remains unpaid, and thus, highly undervalued. Most people, including women themselves, rarely consider their labour as work. Even those who work beyond their homes continue to restrict themselves to certain kinds of professions. It is right here that the concept of sex segregation, that is, the gendered division of occupations, emerges. This takes different forms in a variety of situations – say, urban and rural areas. Specifically, in the Indian context, the 1990s brought a drastic shift in the scenario, with decreased sex segregation and enhanced participation of females in the occupational sphere. This was primarily a result of post-liberalization economic reforms, increased literacy, opening up of new opportunities and a new-found significance to the values associated with education. While these novel changes were, and continue to be welcomed amidst the prevalent traditional values, the simultaneous emergence of unconventional spaces have created a tragic paradox. For instance, although the IT boom in India has opened up new avenues for women, the related online spaces have made them targets of abuse, threats and discrimination.
Despite drastic improvements, gender inequalities have continued to persist in workspaces even today. The traditional economic theory explains sex segregation of occupation based on the natural differences in skills between men and women. Another important cause comes from the pollution theory of discrimination, which focuses on the misconceptions and stereotypes associated with women’s skills and capabilities. The under-representation of women in certain workspaces such as armed forces gives men another reason to underestimate women’s competence and discriminate against them. Many scholars are also of the view that such gender inequalities are caused by social pressures, interpreting women’s inclusion as a threat to the professions’ masculinity. In this sense, men view women as a constant threat to their patriarchal system. Additionally, the overall, hostile work environment also inhibits women from working in organizations. Overt and subtle shades of sexist remarks and harassment are common occurrences in male-dominated spaces.
Specifically, women in organizations face several barriers such as unsupportive work culture, difficulty in maintaining work-life balance; the practice of tokenism; receiving lesser salaries, perks and opportunities as compared to their male counterparts; the prevalence of blatant sexism; fear of failure; and sexual harassment. Right from the beginning, the societal expectations and stereotypes pave the career path for women, which is further reinforced at every step of their lives. The nature of work in terms of working hours, maternity benefits, menstrual leaves, and mode of travelling worsens the situation for women. Such factors degrade the morale of women in general, which results in a psychological phenomenon known as the glass-ceiling effect. It refers to the existence of invisible barriers that restrict women from advancing in their careers after a certain point.
Another radical change has occurred as an outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic, its resultant lockdown, and the uncertainty it has brought along. These unprecedented times have undoubtedly created even more restrictions on travel for women, and have made them considerably vulnerable to taking time off of work following such a long gap. On the brighter side, however, many believe that the quarantine has actually normalized the idea of work-from-home as well as the equal distribution of household labour among family members. While there’s hope that these positives will continue to advance even after the pandemic subsides, the final consequences are yet to unfold.
Overall, the situation seems pretty dismal, and indeed, it is. However, women have continued to advance their revolution in a world dominated by men by continuing to claim their positions and spaces everywhere. They’ve provided evidence to the existence of the social construction processes by sending across the idea that if gender-based discrimination can be done in workplaces, the possibility of undoing it also holds true. Today, women have started forming their own networks, connections, and female-only workspaces, primarily because of the comfort, safety, support, and empowerment that they provide. On the contrary, some women have fought against all odds to enter into male-dominated or non-traditional spaces, that is, professions which are linked to natural characteristics possessed by men. It is these little acts of defiance, and the accompanying motivation and aspiration to break the norms, that is praiseworthy and require further impetus.
Supriya is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Lady Shri Ram College for Women. A self confessed bibliophile, books are her constant source of solace. She finds it liberating to express her ideas through various forms of art.