Abhinav's Blog

At work last week, there was this new funda of awarding a “Woman of the Month” award to a woman employee. While the idea is good, and we lesser mortals have no idea of the criteria for selecting the person, it got me thinking on who all would I give this award to. At work, I guess most (if not all) of the women who manage their families, their kids, and despite that work long days and late nights (there are lot of such people I know, both here and in SJ). While I don’t have the employment numbers and genderwise breakup, I am sure it would be in thousands. At home, and in the non-work circle, I see this at even closer quarters now that I am caged married.

The situation is the same as above, just from a different view – get up in the morning, prepare breakfast/lunch (most times without any help), pack hubby/kids off to office/school, leave for office, come back, prepare dinner – and repeat most of this on weekends too. While husbands take refuge in the fact that they do not know how to cook ..or that they are tired having been in office a bit longer ..

All of the above, IMHO, are the real superwomen (and not just of any month). Titles mean nothing to most of them, and giving a title to one of them is non-consequential in the larger scheme of things. Given that such programs and initiatives in most organizations are part of promoting gender equality (a very noble cause), the target audience needs to be refined. There are other social strata (less educated, rural/semi-urban areas) where women are not given their due, and these programs should target them. Bringing such events in big programs is largely like preaching to the choir.

Footnote: I’m not sure how many people realize that women and men can never be equal (in the literal sense of the word). Why compare them all the time ? It makes sense where uneducation is rampant or the social system is still archaic – so just target that segment.

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