Gender Bias: Women as Humans or as Products & Services?

Existing since the chapter 1 of History, gender inequality across the spheres has now almost become a ‘global legacy’ for men. It is ‘practiced’ so at least. In several parts of the world, including India, the degree of masculinity is considered directly proportional to a man’s ability to control women. Basically, this approach effectively blocks a woman’s growth and her education & merit are decimated to just academic value. Her self esteem is shattered to shambles and she is no better than a cattle in many respects. Stepping into the intellectual domain, the picture is as gray. Corporate is among the most affected sectors of this diseased mentality. Shockingly enough, off late several wails can be heard transpiring on the fertile turf of caliber — Silicon Valley, USA. The valley’s women professionals admit encountering gender driven differential treatment including sexual advances by even the mentors and the VCs. Ironically, most women submit to these demands of men instead of fighting out. I start observing on what exactly is the male and the female psyche behind lowering the bar of sexual indulgence from committed love to a market consumable? What is the reason the obvious exploitation ‘converts’ to a consensual deal instead of inviting self defense?
I think the partisan corporate treatment is rooted way deeper to a fundamental attitude of the global society towards women. And the primary concern is the image women carry about their own selves. Bringing sex to the negotiation table for the first time, from the beautiful wraps of lovemaking would have been one of the gravest mistakes of women. And women being more intelligent and deal oriented, most likely they could have been the initiator. Transacting over the generations, the social gender equation has now become a complex dump. Women presently are on offer in brothels, adult entertainment sites, escort services, massage centers, advertising, magazines, and even TV channels. This is the visible side. Like an iceberg, there is much of the bargain happening in the professional and personal (weak women taking on sexual abuse & biases as wives, gfs, mothers, sisters, etc.) arena too, under the wraps. Now, whats not in line here? Accepting to be a victim.
A huge chunk of a species (read women) is willingly deliberating to win the race against its own type (another woman). If this sexual game goes wrong, the women cry foul. On this flimsy footing we are expecting men to respect us equally, when so many of us are deriving advantage out of our gender. A very conflicting war to wage indeed.
If you talk of sexual advancement in the social creme, so, in the countries legalizing flesh trade, gender will always play a role. The whole concept of instituting sex trade as an industry empowers men and weakens women in all three ways: psychologically, physically, and legally. And sexual commerce is pretty expensive indulgence in the developed nations (USA & Europe). With quality, the price soars. So obviously we know now who all would be availing the services.
A friend once told me, internationally you have catalogs in the brothels to choose from with complete ‘product description!’ So, a ‘woman’ (educated, uneducated, rich, poor) is a product or service for most part of the world. Being judgmental is the second human nature despite education. We are mostly more judgmental or less but hardly non-judgmental. We may not speak out but usually we do form opinions. Sometimes such views are held against a group or a race, like here with women. Now, how a man who has seen a stripper in a strip club (and by the way, women too are among the visitors) or is just back from a luxury vacation with an escort or had an executive sleep with him for sustaining the job or for promotion, can perceive any other woman beyond a ‘massage tool?’ Why should he make the effort to discomfort himself and deprived of the pretty replaceable and abundantly available pleasure, women? He will try his hands on most human females he meets. The more educated he is, the more powerful he is likely to become. The more powerful he becomes the more imposing he can be and more easily he can get away. Unscathed. Men as VCs, industry stalwarts, govt, etc. ‘are’ powerful. So, how do you cope?
For women, ‘when’ they fight back will set their lines. Usually due to favorable precedent, as a woman, you will be attacked and you will ‘have’ to fight back eventually. So, if you ‘really’ are looking at a gender neutral work equation, stop it the first time. You cannot be like ok hand on shoulders, all right. Its ‘just’ thighs, all right. He tried to hug, ok. No! Even if he talks deviant, its NOT ok, leave aside going physical. If its a deal breaker, so be it. Choose. Your integrity or the deal. Because the deal comes with the dealer. Its a package. So, mostly, in educated environment, you ‘decide.’ Now, with 2 people involved, the powerful prevails. I strongly find playing victim a bigger crime than committing it. Its a harshest possible road ahead for women but not impossible I think. We are responsible for ourselves and we need to be brutally honest about that in thoughts and action. Especially when our seniors and contemporaries have already aggravated the problem and continue to do so.
At the same time, men (even enemies) unite against women. A man in front just represents the pack of wolves at the back. So, this platonic path to success is surely not for those with a faint heart. In fact, I’d say India is a far better country when it comes to gender parity in the enabled class. A woman ‘can’ raise her voice effectively and the corporate here are pretty aggressively punishing the modesty offenders. I ‘generally’ find Indian media, colleagues, HR, police, and people now more vocal and supportive against a women bias. An awakening missing especially in the women of the developed countries like the USA. Now we know why that Indian woman techie of the Silicon Valley was being beaten by her Indian entrepreneur husband for so many years, unreported. She knew, she will suffer more if she raises an alarm. Such is the bias against women in the USA. Had she been in India, hers would have been a different and an inspiring story. So many single women & mothers from even simple middle class or lower background are pursuing their dignified, free, and happy life here. Even the married professionals are leaping up the levels. She too can do that by coming back to India and ending the abuse, if she is not able to get that there. She can even explore the legal options for a ‘proportionate punishment’ for her hubby’s atrocities on her. But for that she will need to ‘choose’ her dignity. Will she? Will you?
