They asked me how much I earn. I shrugged the question aside without mentioning a numeric figure. Their curiosity not satiated, they turned towards my husband and inquired about our salaries. My husband also refused to quote an exact amount. They started guessing and threw in some figures as our combined salaries. No response from us. They were undeterred.
Someone turned to me and said that you must be earning at least half as much as your husband. I sighed! I was tempted to tell them the exact amount, in net as well as gross. But I just grinned at them sheepishly and let them enjoy the guessing game. I wished to tell them that I am earning as much as my husband does and we are on the same job-positions in our respective companies, with the same level of responsibilities.
My mind was far away. I was wondering what makes Indian men still believe that a woman will earn less than, even half of what the man of the house earns. I wondered if Indian male chauvinism would ever allow these men to believe in a tribe of women who have more successful careers or bigger pay-packets than their father, brother or husband.
It may be ages before hard-core striving and successful career women are accepted in our society. They first need to accept the fact that women can earn equal to men, and move up the career ladder in equal strides. Our society needs a reality-shake, big time!!!
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Amit Says:
February 15th, 2008 at 12:42 amWell, its not only men who have this male chauvinism but a lot of women also think like that!!
Amit Says:
February 15th, 2008 at 12:44 amAnd (belated) Happy B’day! Hope you & M had a blast.
Amit Says:
February 15th, 2008 at 12:45 amSorry, I meant (belated) Happy Valentine’s!
snigdha Says:
February 15th, 2008 at 11:36 amHi Ansi,
As usual this post also was a delight to read. I agree with your POV which most people have about working women. I used to earn more than my ex-husband.
I dont earn as much as Vinayak does, becuase he is an engineer and I am not. :-)So my gender definitely does not decide my salary. But yes people think otherwise. Another interesting point which, I think you missed out is, the interview that women face which have typical silly questions like, “are you married?” (If No) then the next question is “but you will soon get married” (So what, how is my being single your concern?) If you say yes you are married, the next question is, “when do u plan to go the family way?” (As if I have to tell the HR when will we make love without protection so that accordingly I get a job else I might go on a long maternity leave, which as a woman I ought to get as much as I ought to get my promotion and increment). This also bring me to my next point, which is, these questions are not asked from men becuase it is may be taken for granted that men, as fathers, dont have much role to play. Even if they want to go on a paternity leave for a month to care of the wife and the baby but the interview panel would rather be in a state of denial. (interestingly when I was interviwed by my Australian boss, I was not asked this rhetoric questions about shaadi and bachhe which are so personal)
May be it is Indian psyche that people dont want to accept a woman’s role as a money earner.
But the examples that you gave of your maid and rickshaw wala are truley inspiring, may be you can try giving thier story to chicken soup.
Vaibhav Says:
February 16th, 2008 at 2:05 amNow cna you please start you book on “how do singles survive in metros” :)) i need it badly girl….
Belated happy Valentines Day !! Hope u and manish had a ball !!
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