The coalition for women professionals in a one day retreat has urged women to break the biases and Societal Stereotypes preventing them from making impacts. The convener Dr Chioma Chigozie-Okwum, while speaking at the event reminded the participants made of professionals from different fields to eschew biases, prejudices and inclinations as humans.
She stated further that biases can be positive or negative in portraying favouritism in one gender over another unconsciously in the scheme of things. Dr Chigozie -Okwum further disclosed that these biases are usually constructed in the minds from even before birth, and are fanned into huge flames like the biased upbringing of children observed in our society.
She maintained that its not uncommon to see parents buy dolls for girls and trucks for boys, girls love pink and boys blue, girls hold deputy roles and boys class prefect roles, irrespective of who is more qualified. She further said that social customs, misconstrued religious beliefs, illiteracy and poverty are major factors fuelling biases in the society. Furthermore, she pointed out that these gender biases are observed in many ways which include Biases in Workplace Conditions, Role stereotyping, objectification and epistemic injustices. Neutrality in awarding opportunities, emphasis on capacity and transparency are ways we can live above gender biases.
Speaking also in a panel discussion the Panelists Mrs Oge Ikeh an SDG activator, and UN trained trainer, Mrs Vivian Dimgba a PDP Aspirant for the Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA State Assembly seat and Ms. Ndidi Anike, Managing Partner of Didi Anike Chambers and Chairperson FIDA Imo State Chapter in their remarks reiterated that there are more internal biases and prejudices within the female gender as well as external, and submitted that charity begins at home, they stated that if things must be right, women must learn to drop their internal biases against their fellow women.
Mrs Ikeh pointed out that the home is the breeding ground for all these biases as seen in the way parents favour one gender over the other, and coarse one gender to cower for the other. These skewed upbringing according to her condition the minds of the preferred gender to see the other as a lesser gender, and the gender that is prejudiced see themselves as less important when compared to the preferred gender she noted that every child irrespective of the gender should be prepared for marriage, not preparing one gender and ignoring the other.
This she said is a huge flaw in parenting. She stressed that biases rear their heads in schools where roles are preserved for one gender and the other gender is only good to deputise and play second fiddle, this makes the environment unhealthy and toxic for the gender considered lesser. Within the female gender sadly, “we hold so much biases that makes us tear each other down rather than building each other up and supporting each other in a patriarchal society such as ours” she stated
Mrs Dimgba said that biases against women is a topic that can’t be discussed enough, the first of the biases is the narrative that makes women not to own up to their identity and is always seeking validation, the bias of boy child being superior to girl child, this makes a mother with only girls to be seen as inadequate, the bias that puts a “Good for nothing” tag on divorced women and single women, the bias of not holding men accountable for their actions, pandering and playing to the gallery in order to maintain picture perfect marriages at the detriment of everyone, the bias of judging the intentions of other women at all times. These biases make it impossible for women to own their narratives and live out their authentic selves as there is a constant attempt to bend to these societal pressures.
The FIDA chairperson Ms. Ndidi Anike outlined the biases starting from the chief bias of society making it look impossible for single women to thrive and be successful, she identified that asking for 35% affirmative action is a bias, as there is no harm in asking for a 100% as long as there is capacity and confidence to take up these roles, gender role stereotyping and men abandoning home and childcare to women are also fuelled by bias, the bias of believing every successful woman has slept her way to the top, and bias of assuming leadership is only for men and women only need to deputize and support. The outright rejection of 5 gender bills by the Nigerian National Assembly is also not far-fetched from the ugly fruits of bias against women.
The discussions then focused on identifying the factors that keep women slaves to these biases.
The event was wrapped up with an award to some notable women who have made impacts in their various endeavors.
