For over four decades, a particular week has been dedicated to creating global awareness for gender equality in all areas of life. Yet, while there’s been remarkable progress in reducing the gaping distance between gender disparity and gender equality, it’s still common for a woman to get deprived of an opportunity due to gender inequality.
According to the 2022 World Gender Gap report on the global gender gap index, Nigeria still records below 65% wealth equality. And despite moving from its 139th position in 2021 to 123rd in 2022, factors such as gender-based remuneration, financial literacy, and other sociocultural factors still affect women’s capacity to work or make wealth. On this special episode of Creative Gist, five creative women answer the question, have you been deprived of an opportunity because you’re a woman?
Yes, I have been been deprived of an opportunity because I'm a woman. It was back when I was working as a receptionist in a hotel and was due to be promoted to supervisor. However, I was denied that promotion because they kept talking about how I was a woman and won't be able to deliver. The man they eventually chose over me couldn't deliver either.
Yes, I have been been deprived of an opportunity because I'm a woman. However, they didn't make it seem like it was expressly because of my gender. I wasn't given the job because they felt I needed to be tougher to handle the role, mainly because it required more masculine muscle, which I lacked. They highlighted manly attributes I didn't have, so I didn't get the position.
Yes, I was once deprived of an opportunity to help my teammates because I'm a woman. My boss at the time would go over my head to ask my colleagues for something I could quickly help resolve. It was so bad that we could be in the same room, and he'd ignore me and ask a male teammate to carry out the task. At a point, I suspected he would fire me, so I ensured that my work was spotless so he wouldn't find any cause to terminate my appointment. I survived and learned from the experience, but it was tough.
I can't really say I have been been deprived of an opportunity because I'm a woman, but I have been stereotyped. So I worked as a customer support executive in 2021, and in such a career position, I'm also the one who clarifies issues from the clients through calls. So on this fateful day, an angry client called to make complaints. He kept going on and on, and when he paused for a while, I introduced myself to him. When he realised I was a woman, he immediately said I wouldn't be able to solve his issues. He further requested that I transfer him to a male customer support executive. I felt insulted, making me incapable of doing the work because I was a woman. However, that experience made me more determined to put in more effort than usual.
While I can't point to any specific instance where I have been deprived of an opportunity because I'm a woman, I remember an ugly experience a few years back that made me abandon an offer. I've always been passionate about becoming a presenter or an anchor. So, I came across a worker in one of the popular stations at the time who wanted to help me get employment, but he was constantly talking dirty to me at every opportunity he got. I felt uncomfortable and harassed, so I had no option but to let go of the opportunity.
 Close the Equality Gap
The 2022 Global Gender Gap Report also projected that achieving complete gender equality won’t be possible for another 132 years. However, we can all ensure that each day, we are promoting practical steps to close this gap and achieve women-inclusion in various sectors of society.
Are you a woman and reading this? Have you been deprived of an opportunity because you’re a woman? Are you a man who has seen a woman experience gender bias? Please share your experience below.
PS. If you would like to contribute as a respondent in the future episodes of the Creative Gist, send us an email to [email protected] or reach us via WhatsApp +2348088809311
