Dear Koren,
I’m a 28-year-old woman and as I watch what really goes on in Antigua, I feel a way about how women are treated in professional spaces, especially by men in positions of authority. Twice now, I’ve gotten jobs that I know I wasn’t the most qualified for, and I think that it had more to do with how I look than my actual abilities. At first, I didn’t think too much about it, but as I see what my sister is going through, it’s really bothering me. My sister is smarter than I was at her age and graduated two years ago with 11 CXC subjects. But despite her qualifications, she’s constantly being overlooked for positions or taken less seriously. It’s frustrating to watch, especially because I know how capable she is. I don’t want my sister to be held back because she doesn’t fit someone’s idea of “attractive” enough to deserve a shot. It’s not fair, and it’s something I think needs to change in our society. The system is not fair and hiring should not be from politician or male permanent secretary or male managers, but maybe a committee. How can we change that?
Shaking my head
Dear head shaker,
Well, you have benefited from the same system which you are complaining about, but I agree with you that persons should be hired based on their skills, qualifications, experience, character and potential. It should not be based solely on appearance on who they know. Appearance is high on the list for models or certain other customer service jobs, but I get the impression you are speaking generally.
In many professional spaces, women—especially when deemed “attractive” by men in positions of authority—are sometimes given preferential treatment, while others who are equally (or more) qualified are overlooked simply because they don’t fit that mold. This is not only unfair, it’s damaging to the growth and integrity of our workplaces.
Your idea that hiring should be done by a committee rather than individual decision-makers, especially male politicians or managers, is idealistic, but not necessarily practical. In the government service, there is a public service commission and in private companies, I don’t think any labour laws can say that the male owner of a business cannot hire who he wants. Then what happens when we have female managers who give preferential treatment to other females or to males? My point is, we cannot legislate certain policies and then the policing of them would be difficult because it can be hard to prove.
I think we need to encourage employers to broaden the hiring process to include diverse people and perspectives, then it will be more likely that decisions will be based on merit rather than bias, conscious or unconscious. A hiring committee, when properly structured, brings transparency and accountability, reducing the chances of favoritism or discrimination.
We can try to lobby for more inclusive hiring practices in government and private sectors and have diversity and inclusion training but mandatory committee hiring would be expensive and prohibitive for small companies. By the way, the situation with politicians will not change.
If you’re in a position of influence, ensure you are advocating for the women around you, like your sister, so that the right people are seen for their skills and not dismissed due to superficial biases. Encourage her to keep pushing forward and to document her qualifications and her struggles. Sometimes, real stories of talented women being overlooked can drive change when brought to light.
Changing deep-rooted cultural and systemic issues is hard work and takes time, but it begins with voices like yours speaking up for what is right. Keep pushing for the fairness and equality you know your sister—and all women—deserve.
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