A willowy 21 year old stood at bus stop one evening. As the light faded, so did her confidence. She couldn’t see a single woman on the road. It was 1980 and women didn’t venture out of homes unaccompanied at 7PM. She tugged her bag closer. Finally she breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the light of the bus roll towards her.
‘You know you don’t need to work. You could always stop’, grandpa told her gently. ‘No, I want to. I will look for a different job where I could leave earlier’, mom was stubborn. Grandpa gave in – she was the first woman in the family to graduate and he wanted to ensure he gave her a choice. One that he was berated for continuously by his family. ‘Why don’t you get her married off, instead”. But he persisted.
Thanks to her stellar academics, she got a role with the state government. One that had better perks and working hours but where she had to travel for more than 2 hours each day.
“I’ll manage”, she said. And she did. Switching 3 buses each way to get to her workplace at the other end of the town.
Back from work, she cooked us hot meals each day while dad helped us with homework.
She did this for 30 years, choosing to put herself through the discomfort rather than have her kids miss out on good schools or being close to their grandparents. She steadily grew at her role retiring as a gazetted officer with the state department.
‘Be independent. You may have a trust fund, or you may have a wealthy spouse, you never know when either one will run out’ – Sunscreen song.
That is in line with what she told me oft growing up, making me do her taxes each year from when I turned 15.
On this women’s day, as we talk about #breakingthebias, please take a moment to acknowledge all the men and women who have broken barriers for us to stand here today.
Here is to an equal playing field and a future. Here is hoping my daughter doesn’t require a day/month to remind her of how far she has come and the shoulders she stands on 🙂
***************************************
#IWD2022, #BreakTheBias, #VMwareIndiaÂ
#BetterWhenEqual #breakbarriers