This International Women’s Day, we urge all of you to #LetsUntag the gender from profession and roles, and work towards a more inclusive society!
Read our MD Smita Jatia’s thoughts on this.
Over the years, many people have complimented me for being a ‘female MD’, and a ‘female leader’ in QSR. When I meet people from different walks of life, I hear them talking about someone who is a female comedian, a female chairperson, woman athlete, female restaurant manager, the list goes on. I am extremely proud of being a woman and I know that they mean it as a compliment. However, despite the best intentions, these titles do not make us feel like we are part of an inclusive world where everyone is equal.
Addressing accomplished individuals by their gender comes from a place of unconscious bias and social conditioning. When we use these labels, we are somewhere bringing in inequality into the conversation without even realising it – maybe because a woman achieving something is looked at as extra ordinary and not as regular as men doing the same things.
If we wish to create a world of inclusivity collectively, we all have to start by doing our bit. This Women’s Day, we Choose To Challenge the norm of these biased titles, urging our colleagues to share their stories and experiences of dropping the labels. So, #LetsUntag ourselves and start the conversation around unconscious biases against accomplished women in different professions.
In the last two decades, women have evolved in more ways than one. They have been taking the reins across industries, striking a healthy balance between home and work and travelling across the world. They are making their mark across all walks of life – as a part of armed forces, as scientists, as performers, as business leaders, as political leaders and the list goes on. And yet, their gender continues to be tagged to their achievements.
So this women’s month, we urge you to join us in removing all the gender biases. Let us strive to ensure an equal opportunity world for everyone.
Holocaust survivor Dr. Edith Eger had said that change is about interrupting the patterns and habits that no longer serve us, and it’s time we honor her words while disrupting any kind of discrimination. #LetsUntag and create a more inclusive world of limitless possibilities.
