I’m no token woman
By Gemma Mills
The debate of gender equality in the workplace is rife—equal pay for men and women; the number of women in roles; the number of women in senior roles—it’s all going on, and I want to be in the know. With the working world very different to what it was years ago, it is perceived that women are on a level playing field in business. However, this is not the case. The workplace is still subject to gender discrimination and stories are coming out daily with figures on the men vs. women split.
As a strong, keen, hard-working, and business-minded woman, this pains me to see—yet I struggle to wholeheartedly agree with some of the regulations (whether these may be official or unofficial, written or unwritten) in place. Why is this?
I was brought up by a mother who has broken any ‘gender norms’ that may have been in her way. From 35 years ago, when equality wasn’t what it is today, she has been known to stand up to men who treated her differently, and most importantly stand up for herself.
She then set up her own business in the finance world (still a very male heavy industry,) becoming a leader and expert in her field. Even today, she is witness to gender inequality with clients (usually the old school ones who grew up in a very different environment—and by no means an excuse) with them expecting to pick up the phone to a man. Quite recently in fact, she refused to deal with a man who made an insinuation that he expected to be, and would only be, dealing with a man. Once she stated that was no problem and hung up the phone, he was calling a day later apologising, and understanding the mistake he had made—there was no-where else for him to go.
We may witness, experience and face gender inequality in the workplace, but to stand strong and believe in ourselves and our worth as individuals, but also as women, is what we should be doing!
For regulations to be set ensuring a certain percentage of a company’s workforce are women is a good start to reduce discrimination and not allow certain ‘gender bias’ mindsets to control not hiring women. But… what we should really be doing is demonstrating our skill and capability. We don’t want to be, and shouldn’t be, hired because of a ‘quota,’ but because we are most capable of nailing the job at hand.
I have been in the working world for four years, so I’m relatively new, but I do not feel that gender inequality will stand in my way—is this due to a changing environment; is this due to the environment I have been in so far; or is this due to my attitudes? Maybe it’s a combination of them all, but what I do know is that I will always stand for what I believe in and will always show my worth through my skills, my nature, my passion and my hard-work. I hope that this will allow me to dodge gender bias, and if I do face it, squash it there and then.
Recently, I was approached by a company who were keen to speak with me about a role. They’d seen my experience and thought I was a good fit for what they were looking for and to launch a new platform. After my experience was mentioned, it was said that the department were currently 100 percent male and they were really looking for a woman to join their team—red flag, red flag!
I am happy to be the first woman in a team. I am happy to be leading a team of men. I don’t mind what role I am in and the females and males around me—but what I do have a problem with is being a token woman. I will not be there to fill a quota. I will not be hired because of age bias at 22. I will be hired because I am the correct and most capable person for the role. And if I am not the most capable, then the role is not right. ■
Recently, I was approached by a company who were keen to speak with me about a role. They’d seen my experience and they were really looking for a woman to join their team—red flag, red flag!