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Shraddha Saigaonkar

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Why do women face problems at work? Why is it that they always have to prove themselves for people to take them seriously at work?

We all talk about how things have changed in a male dominated society for women. But the fact is that working women have to still try hard before people at work start taking them seriously. One has to prove to convey the message that we are capable enough and can be intelligent and excellent leaders. I have seen many situations where working women are looked as show pieces in offices. Why do we have to try hard for men to look at us in a different way? There are exceptions indeed, no doubt. Things have changed a lot, however not to an extent where there is no need to be questioned at all.

When I started working right after my graduation, learning new things and especially the so called, "Corporate life" was tough. I had seen girls getting jobs not on the basis of their intelligence but their looks! Many of my male colleagues told me how good looking women can get promoted easily. I had seen how few of them got things the easy way. These situations not only surprised me but were shocking as a beginner. But as we get used to these, should we just say ....this is how it is and move on?

Topics: women
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Closing Statement from Shraddha Saigaonkar

Thank you so much for your comments. Your views have certainly helped to at least justify and take things further in life.

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    edward long 100+

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    May 4 2012: Many of the rules in the workplace were made by now dead white guys. Not long ago ALL of the rules were made by and for WHITE GUYS. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. It takes a great deal of energy to change something. America has made great strides in the last 49 years in the effort to de-color and de-gender the workplace. Lingering injustice and inequity must be be dealt with, not accepted, as we move on.
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    R H 20+

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    Apr 28 2012: This, of course, is merely a subset of the much larger issue of men's regard of women as a whole. But I think if you look more closely, you'll see that many of the men that get promoted are also more 'acceptable', more 'visually capable', more of a 'team player' (shorthand for 'more like us'). It's bias's as a whole and lack of inherent objectivity that causes these types of reactions at the workplace - along with poor management, in my opinion. This is all done under the guise of 'we have to think of what our customer's will think of this person'. So to me, business is really a reflection of the society around them.
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