‘Fiesty’, ‘vocal’, ‘bossy’ is among the many labels which often get slammed across every women entrepreneur on at least one account at any point of their lives. As derogatory as it may be, being a victim of sexist slurs is one of the most common occurrences in workplaces even in today’s world. And, as for a female entrepreneur in a patriarchal society like Bangladesh, the journey towards building one’s own business is far from complex. Although people in these companies are well aware of gender biases, they still choose to add to the vicious cycle.
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While many cases of sexual harassment are being covered by the media, the day to day sexist remarks that women are faced with is going unnoticed. Why, you say? Well, maybe because she gave off a seemingly coquettish impression by being ‘too chatty’.
Here are some sexist comments curated by the Prestige that a female entrepreneur has faced at least once in her life.
1. “Why work? You’re so pretty! You will easily get married off to a rich man one day.”
2. “Is someone else available? Nothing personal, but is there a man I can speak to?”
3. “I could hardly take her seriously at the meeting. Did you see what she was wearing and how distracting it was?”
4. “We can’t hire you. You’ll soon be pregnant and go on a maternity leave.”
5. “The manager has been on her favor a lot lately. She must be seducing him.”
6. “Are you sure she is the CEO? Isn’t she a little unattractive to have such skills?”
7. “Did you notice how cranky she has been since morning? She must be on her period.”
8. “A woman in tech?”
9. “Of course things came easy to you without putting any effort. How else do you expect a woman to attain success on higher levels?”
10. “With a face that appealing, I bet she gets favored every time without even having to work hard.”
Why is This Happening
So, why is it that a woman, specifically in a developing country, face multiple challenges towards her road to being someone successful?
Well, the lack of self-belief faced by every woman is hugely fueled by an androcentric society. From the time a girl is born the confidence in her is crushed almost on a day-to-day basis. It is a very systematic procedure which is done collectively and unintentionally. Majority of young girls are trained to think that they are incapable of doing much in life.
How are They Muddling Through?
Fortunately, over the past few years, Bangladeshi women, both from rural and urban areas, have been making their marks against all odds in the entrepreneur sector rapidly. Many are coping against stereotypical tags by ignoring sexism and letting their works do the talking. While challenges like insufficient capital and economic issues continue to create barriers for women, sexist labels are being tackled by these ‘female entrepreneurs’ quite diligently.
