International Women’s Day 2024 – With glaring inequalities still very present in the world, one has to wonder what we can do to break the bias.
One such inequality is gender-related. A direct result of sexism, it is quite alarming to think that discrimination linked to certain stereotypes and gender hierarchy still exists today.
International Women’s Day 2024: What is gender bias?
Gender bias is the conscious or unconscious preference of one gender over another. This results in a difference in treatment based on one’s real or perceived gender identity.
Where and when does this occur?
Gender bias occurs in many instances. Oftentimes, people may not even be aware that they are assisting in it. We often hear the perpetuation of stereotypes in our day-to-day life and don’t raise more than an eyebrow, it’s just the way things are.
These stereotypes and gender discrimination also rears its ugly and deceptive head in the workforce. So common is it that it is quite alarming to think that it is almost expected and rarely gets… more than a few raised eyebrows. It’s just the way things are.
The climb up the corporate ladder is not as straightforward for women as it is for men. A woman that is as assertive as her male counterparts quickly gets tagged as ‘bossy’. Her ambition is closely tied to her likeability. Too ambitious immediately makes a woman be perceived as ‘unlikeable’, as evidenced in the Heidi vs Howard case study. In the case of males, the opposite seems true.
But it doesn’t stop there. Even when a woman ‘conforms to feminine norms’, she still can’t catch a break as her ability to lead then comes into question in comparison to her male counterparts.
Why is diversity so important?
In the multi-ethnic and cultural world, we live in, it is easy to see why presentation is so important. This does not only apply to who and what we see on TV, in movies or in magazines. It is also relevant in our professional lives.
A McKinsey study showcased how ethnic and gender diversity actually leads to better business, both financially and ethically.
Inequality, of any kind, is never acceptable and we should not just sit back and watch because “it is a man’s world” and that is expected. For International Women’s Day, people are encouraged to #BreakTheBias but let this not just be for today, but rather, from today.
