We live in gendered environments. Many, irrespective of their gender, struggle with adapting to the socio-cultural norms of gendered environments. Gender norms have been challenged and environments have changed over time. We are far from gender neutral environments or gender equality. Women, men and others are defined by their roles and responsibilities. Women and others remain at a disadvantage because of the expectations that lead to discrimination against them in personal, professional and social spaces. Gendered environments are obstacles to their aspirations and ability to lead fulfilling lives.
The eclectic flavours of March 8, Women’s Day, fascinate me. Over the years, my sentiments have metamorphosed from, every day should be women’s day; to, I enjoy this enthusiasm around women’s day! It gives me much food for thought. I am reading, listening and watching as women express themselves and I appreciate that each year more women take an opportunity to express themselves. Women have expressed emotions that range from ‘leave me alone this women’s day, I want to be at peace, I don’t need a day to celebrate my existence’ to, let’s get together on women’s day, we are special, I am making resolutions, more power to us!’ The theme this women’s day is: Accelerate Action. The idea is to break barriers and biases that are systemic to professional and personal lives so that women have equal opportunities.
The times around Women’s Day and Mother’s Day are the best to learn from contemporary ideas through audio-visuals. There are WhatsApp messages, advertisements, reels, short movies and more that circulate through social media. I often used these for interactions in my Gender and Development class. These short ads or stories often neatly wrap gender roles and present them oblivious to the fact that they endorse stereotypes!
Currently, the corporate and advertising world is very kind to women who balance family and professional spaces. These women are likely employed in corporate jobs. Stereotyping begins with the choice of women in the advertisements. So, it cannot be the flower vendor in a train, a nurse in a hospital, a domestic helper or such. The advertisements are forgiving and accepting of women who try irrespective of success or failure. So, if a woman tries to get to her professional responsibilities but forgets to buy the milk formula and her baby is wailing at home, she is forgiven. To quote the ad, ‘It’s o.k. if she does two out of three things and even those she does not do perfectly’. She is complimented and forgiven with a tag, she is imperfectly perfect. The message is to accept her imperfections and that to move away from gender bias, we need to lower our expectations from mothers (not all women, mostly only from mothers). We are yet to imagine that people other than mothers are expected to stand up to everything that it takes to raise a child, and it takes a village! We eulogize women who are in adversity. A policewoman who carries her baby to work in a saddle, a woman who has an outburst because she is overwhelmed but chooses to take care of her ailing mother over an opportunity to lead a project far from home and such. From portraying women as goddesses with several arms, society has lowered its expectations, and are proudly declaring it on women’s day. People hit the like button on one Instagram reel, one picture on social media or share these ahead to express solidarity with gender equality. They find instant gratification and feel reassured that they are doing their part. It’s a sense of a step taken toward equality. Few people around the world question the consequences of allowances they are forgiving the mothers for, or the opportunities that women give up. The latest Prega News ad endorses multitasking under the guise of Women who try are role models. It goes unnoticed but must be mentioned that in one advertisement, the women are roles models for girls in school. These women who simply try, are not portrayed as role models for boys. How do we anticipate changing gendered environments if we showcase only one gender in our creative inspiration?
Imperfectly perfect is an oxymoron. The language error apart, the ad says it’s OK if the mother misses restoring the formula milk and orders it late. OK means acceptable. As a public health researcher and physician, I’d say it is unacceptable to miss a baby/child’s meal, forget to change the baby’s diaper or saddle a baby to work especially when you are responsible for the safety and security of people at a train station! It is worse to accept that in all these scenarios, only a woman is expected to take responsibility! Through social media, we have assumed an authority to accept imperfection from the mother and forgive her for it! It is so easy to like and forgive these women hypothetically. We are unwilling, however, to imagine, even in our advertising world, a family or community model, a gender-neutral environment for the women and their families to thrive. The picture of the policewoman was a great opportunity to question and push for workplace reforms in the police-force. We don’t question the missing day care centers, the absence of the father at the parent-teacher meeting, the fact that the father could have ordered the formula milk in time, or the missing social capital a woman needs to take care of her ailing mother in case she must travel away from her town for work! Women are not seeking redemption and when they feel guilt, the likes on social media or applaud in an office meeting cannot alleviate it. It is no surprise then that women drop out of the work force! More often than not, women are compelled to choose unpaid care providing over jobs they love and are good at, or they cannot afford to quit! The repercussions of these are huge! Lack of diversity, no equal opportunity, gendered poverty, unequal and unsatisfactory care for children and the lack of imagination for gender-neutral environments. If we want to accelerate action, and it is imperative we do, we must free our imagination of stereotypes. We have miles to go. Let’s buckle up.
This write up is only one among many thoughts this women’s day. The movement to support girls, adolescents, single women and senior females to mention a few, is in a dire condition. The opportunities that women are taking on this day and every day, have the potential to accelerate transformation of gendered environments.
Rome was not built in a day and gender norms will not change in a jiffy. Over the years, the critique of the commercials and videos has been taken well and the snippets have changed. It is slow but encouraging. How will the reel transform the real? We look forward.
