Diversity is the existence of differences in a given setting, such as a workplace, in terms of ethnicity, race, age, religion, and gender. Inclusion is ensuring that people are accorded equal opportunities in workplaces irrespective of their diversity, thus giving them a sense of belonging and acknowledgment. Gender equity is the major diversity factor barring inclusion in work setups due to diverse perceptions of gender and their roles; men are preferred over women. Social science as a study discipline has played a significant role in highlighting the importance of inclusion with respect to gender equity, thus making it easy to understand and explore. This paper delves into how gender is perceived as a barrier to inclusion in some workplaces. Despite the global call to embrace gender equity, some societies have a cultural perception of gender-oriented roles, which is a social setback and thus renders progress a myth.
Due to gender inequities, women have limited access to job opportunities and receive little pay with few promotion opportunities compared to men. These disparities expose women to exploitation and Workplace Sexual Harassment (WSH) since they cannot defend themselves in these culturally male-dominated workplaces. In some instances, to access jobs and avoid WSH, women farmworkers are compelled to disguise themselves as lesbians by dressing in loose-fitting clothes, using deepened voices, and adopting masculine behavior (Prado et al., 2020). These kinds of treatment subjected women to undeserved misery, which could have been avoided if society had embraced gender equity.
Some organizations have crafted gender-washing tools to create a public impression that they respect and uphold gender equity. Companies use Human Resource Development (HRD) to focus on human capital and efficiency while disregarding gender equity. Critical Human Resource Development (CHRD) counters HRD by analyzing how to enhance workplace equality and criticizing the neglect of humanistic values. Women have no access to power or involvement in decision-making, but companies use gender washing to create a perception of fairness in their operations (Fox-Kirk et al., 2020). This technique renders the struggle to achieve gender equity in society a myth due to a deceitful process.
A meritocracy is approach organizations use to award opportunities and benefits to workers based on merit and talent. In a male-dominated setup, women stand to gain a few, if any, benefits compared to their male counterparts. Meritocracy is only successful when both genders are granted equal opportunities and unbiased assessment to determine who performed better (Dijk et al., 2020). Some companies use it as a crafty way to recognize men’s efforts while discrediting women by creating an impression of a merit-based consideration.
In other instances, the decision-makers are biased and prefer male candidates over females even where women showed exemplary competence for the position. Most of these decisions are based on the notion that men always perform better than others. Institutions led by such leaders invite women for interviews, despite knowing they will not consider them, for formality to show that they are reputable and competitive (Verniers & Vala, 2018). These practices are gender discriminatory but tend to create a myth that women are accorded equal assessment only that they do not qualify.
In conclusion, gender inclusion in workplaces, irrespective of gender, is a myth and a war far from over. Despite struggles and achievements made so far, some instances and environments exist where people are still grooming gender inequity. Women are suffering at the hands of men from denial of equal job opportunities and decent payment, and they are prone to WSH. Companies use gender-washing tools and meritocracy to convince society that they are gender considerate, while decision-makers are openly biased in preference for men in managerial positions.
References
Dijk, V. H., Kooij, D., Karanika-Murray, M., De Vos, A., & Meyer, B. (2020). Is meritocracy a Myth? A Multilevel Perspective of how Social Inequality Accumulates Through Work.Organizational Psychology Review, 10(3-4), 240–269.
Fox-Kirk, W., Gardiner, R. A., Finn, H., & Chisholm, J. (2020). Genderwashing: The myth of Equality. Human Resource Development International, 23(5), 586–597.
Prado, K. Y., Rivera-Heredia, M., MartĂnez-ServĂn, L., Guzmán-Carillo, K.-Y., & McCurdy, S. A. (2020). “It’s Wrong Because it Could be My Sister, Wife, or Mother”: Workplace Sexual Harassment Among Men and Women Farmworkers in USA and Mexico. Journal of Agromedicine, 26(2), 220–230.
Verniers, C., & Vala, J. (2018). Justifying Gender Discrimination in the Workplace: The Mediating Role of Motherhood Myths.Plos One, 13(1), e0201150.