A woman's place
The correct answer starts with "Anywhere" and has "she damn well pleases" as part of it
I was doing some prep work this week and I needed to make a list of women-focused publications. Not the glossy, fashion magazine kind. Not that there’s anything wrong with them. But I was looking for internationally read places and I could only think of a few. The really big places that have the budgets and a handful of smaller, independent ones.
I linked to this story last week, according to which there are more women enrolled in journalism schools, which is not specific to the United States, but women are not in as many journalism jobs. This statistic is worse for women of colour.
I also linked to this story last week, according to which there aren’t many women in government, either, particularly in the Indian Foreign Service, even today. There have been only three female foreign secretaries of India, ever.
One of the outcomes of underrepresentation of women in government means women are disproportionately affected in a crisis, whether that’s in natural disasters, during periods of unrest or a combination of both. The lack of opportunities for women to participate in local government, particularly in many developing countries, and their poor numbers at a policy level means women’s needs are not given importance when deciding relief efforts and spending. According to the UN, about 80 percent of people displaced because of climate change are women. Here is an example of this.
There aren’t enough women in science and tech. This is widely known. Sexism in science is real.
There aren’t enough women in business. Read about what happens to many women who attend fancy business schools alongside men. The reasons we’re told, we’re sold, of why women drop out of their careers or are not in senior leadership is not the entire truth.
Women aren’t in film either. This Instagram post puts it plainly.
So where is a woman’s place?
Underrepresentation is problematic simply because it’s inaccurate. It’s imbalanced and dangerous. Gender underrepresentation is only part of the problem.
And so it’s less a question of where is a woman’s place and more about women taking up space. Even when it’s hard to do.
A big part of this education must start early, in schools. When students grow up reading stories about and by women, seeing examples of people different from them, people of colour, people from disadvantaged or unconventional backgrounds, it shapes their world view. They no longer associate success or achievement only with a certain kind of person which could mean when these children occupy powerful posts one day, this education will serve them well. Or at least, that’s the hope.
And it’s also why we need more places publishing stories focused on women’s experiences. To raise awareness and reduce these blind spots.
Some related reading:
UN Women has done this excellent infographic to show women’s underrepresentation across fields. I promise I was waiting for more dots to turn blue at the first graphic. It took me a moment to realise why this had stopped.
And we know the pandemic derailed women’s progress in the workforce. Read through this sobering McKinsey report for a sense of just how bad it is in the corporate world in America and everything businesses will need to think about to keep women in work in the future.
Finally, here are two great stories in the Guardian. This first brilliantly written piece by Katrine Marcal is an eye-opening read about how long innovations and inventions take time to become mainstream. I think it’s telling of the lack of women in the automobile industry that cars have only managed to introduce a measly vanity mirror in the sunshade of certain models on the passenger side but there are designated spots to accommodate sunglasses and hang coats. How much longer will we have to wait until there’s someplace to put a woman’s handbag?
And read Shaista Aziz’s lovely story about her love for football and the importance of women taking up space, especially in places where they are not easily welcome.
In Women Wins this Week
Women don’t have it easy in healthcare. But did you know, the Astra Zeneca vaccine has been developed at Oxford by a research team led by women? Here is Dame Sarah Gilbert, who designed the vaccine, receiving a standing ovation at Wimbledon.
Here are more women who are punching the pandemic in the face.
Most swear words are a personal insult. Two women friends in India are working on this project to curate non-personal swear words. In other words, taking the hate out of what we say if we really need to say it.
Two sisters have started a campaign against bullying and how to be an ally rather than a bystander.
And there’s another woman of colour in a major global newsroom. These are hard-won victories and must be celebrated.
A woman’s place is anywhere she damn well pleases. And it’s a road worth journeying, however arduous.
xx
AA