ON MARCH 8, the world will celebrate “International Women’s Day”. According to https://www.internationalwomensday.com, “March 8 is a global day that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women”. The theme for this year’s celebration is #EachforEqual. It is explained thus: “An equal world is an enabled world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations, and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world.”
My exposure to gender and development and women empowerment advocacy work started in June 1999 while serving a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC). It has been a challenging but fulfilling daily experience since then. It opened my eyes to a variety of societal and cultural realities particularly the existence of gender stereotypes; gender discrimination; biases against women and men although much of the prejudices are directed against women; gender power relations; and other gender issues.
I have worked in 2 GOCCs that were male-dominated while my official functions included exposure and engagement with the community. Thus, I experienced first-hand the different levels of gender prejudices and discrimination directed against women.
Thank God I come from sturdy stuff – huge thanks to my lawyer-father and highly-professional mother. I have developed early on the values and virtues of courage, delicadeza, fairness, professionalism, and propriety. It’s embedded in my system. I cannot tolerate abusive people at all. They are a black hole in society.
In my gender advocacy work, I was privileged to help and undertake para-legal work for two women who were sexually harassed by a male pig-headed boss who thought his “kababuyan”, forgive the word, was an extension of his twisted macho image.
Yeah, this type of men should not be tolerated in a decent society; they should be obliterated, to put it bluntly. And his penalty for sexually harassing these two ladies was a joke! We lobbied for a stiffer penalty like two-to-three-month-suspension for causing deep shame, anxiety, and trauma to the victims, and what do we get? A two-day suspension, if I remember right! It was obvious top management wanted to spare him from the corporate humiliation of a long suspension – which he deserved anyways!
To assuage the victims, they were
granted transfer to other branches with the assurance that in their corporate
lifetime, they will never be under the supervision of this indecent human being
again.
Of course, the ladies moved on with their respective lives. But we were not
happy with the decision. The decision sucked as it is! The only good thing that
came out of the troubling experience was the creation of the Committee on
Decorum and Investigation and the strict implementation of the anti-sexual
harassment law in the said organization.
There are plenty of sexist jokes in work places. Many female workers are subjected to “kabastusan” by male workers. To parry the embarrassment and shame, women just laugh it off. But in truth, they feel disrespected; devalued; diminished.
And what about the female workforce engaged in the sales profession? What about the sexual innuendoes they have to contend with every single day in their kind of job? Oh yes, plenty. I call these professional hazards of the trade. It takes an empowered woman to protect herself from this type of men. First, find your voice. Speak!
Human Resource (HR) staff development should include trainings on anti-sexual harassment to protect female executives and workers from this crime. Organizations should not allow their female population to be exposed to indecent men without arming them; capacitating them. It is the responsibility of top management through HR to protect their female personnel.
Let me ask? How many female employees all over the country know that there exists an anti-sexual harassment law? How many organizations conduct this type of training for their male and female personnel regularly? These questions beg hard and factual answers.
I despise it when women are debased. I also despise it when other women pass judgment on women who become victims. Instead of being supportive, other women take the side of the men. That’s rubbing salt in the wound, so to speak. However, women will continue to do so for many reasons including survival in the workplace. It sucks but it’s real.
***
Food for Thought
I am expressing my admiration and respect for all the women who have made a mark in big or small ways in their own families, their respective communities and workplaces, and the country. It’s not easy being a woman but only a woman can be truly beautiful. And that’s that!
***
For comments, you may reach the writer at belca.87@gmail.com./PN
