This post is by guest blogger Noor Anand Chawla of www.nooranandchawla.com her blog is based on her personal experience when she was working as a lawyer and a successful one at that but now is a full-time mommy and a blogger. Do follow her blog for an interesting movie and food reviews and other insightful articles as well. Through this blog, she talks about the objectification of women at the workplace, which each one of us must have experienced at some point in time in our life.
Before you proceed further do check out my guest post on her website where I get candid about how the idea of launching our website www.winningstree.com took place.
Here is what Noor has to say about the objectification of women at the workplace.
So much has been said on this topic, yet there remains so much to say.
Though a lawyer by training, I currently devote more time to writing my blog than arguing in court. I made the shift from 12 hour working days to working from home when my son was born. You may say “choosing home and baby overwork” is a kind of objectification of women too, but I believe everyone is entitled to make their own choices. Giving time to my baby is my choice, and I equally admire women who balance their work and home life.
Today I’m here to talk about my days as a lawyer and the objectification I felt in court. I was fortunate to have a boss and mentor who respected women and fiercely encouraged his female employees to reach the greatest heights. By starting my career in his esteemed office, I avoided many struggles that female lawyers face.
However, I’m aware of the experiences of my colleagues and friends, and I’ve faced some discrimination on account of being a woman myself. It’s no surprise that the number of female judges and female senior advocates is minuscule in comparison to their male counterparts. In fact, there have been only eight female judges in the Supreme Court of India since independence!
In the field of law, as with all professions, women are treated differently than men. Women have to must work harder to prove themselves capable of the task at hand.
They must battle the odds of selection to climb steep ladders and eventually break the glass ceiling. And also must balance their workload with their home life and familial commitments.
They must look at their professional best in order to be taken seriously.
They must keep batting away unpleasant and unwarranted sexual overtures by men who feel entitled to them. There’s so much pressure on women!
Apart from the above, serious hurdle women face is from other women in their field. Intense competitiveness compels women to pull their female colleagues down at the workplace. Why can’t women support other women? A collaborative effort often brings out the best in everyone and lessens the burden of work. Women should join hands in all spheres so they can conquer every hurdle together.
The world is now waking to the latent objectification and discrimination women have faced for years. With the rise of the #MeToo and #WhyIDidntReport movements, women are feeling empowered the world over, and they’re no longer ashamed of calling out their oppressors.
Facebook, Instagram, and other social media websites act as the perfect platform for women to connect with other women. This enables them to share workplace stories, experiences, and platitudes of encouragement. I’m so glad I’ve connected with Tanusri Chakraborty and Megha Katira of the blog, “Winning Stree”. Their vision, of empowering every woman by highlighting her specific achievements, is a herald in this sour and hateful world.
I urge you to follow their example and support women around you. You’ll find support and help coming back to you thousand-fold!
Visit my website at www.nooranandchawla.com to read the wonderful story behind Tanusri and Megha’s inception of the blog “Winning Stree”.
Noor Anand Chawla is a lawyer who pursued her passion for writing after the birth of her baby boy. Having studied at esteemed institutions like St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, and King’s College London; she practiced law at the Delhi High Court. She currently writes a Delhi-based lifestyle blog on her website https://nooranandchawla.com/, where she covers topics related to parenting, health & fitness, beauty & fashion, art & culture, food & drink as well as travel. On Instagram, she has made a name for herself as the lady lawyer.
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theladylawyer/
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Twitterhttps://twitter.com/nooranand
