Introduction
Discrimination can be defined as the act of differential treatment of persons, either because of the laws that are in place or due to past practice. It is the treatment of people on preferential basis.
One day, the managing director of the company where my aunt had been working for working for the last three years ordered an impromptu meeting with all his employees. It happened that she was on duty that day with some other four gentlemen. She was the only lady present on that day. The other two lady colleagues were absent that day. One was on sick leave while the other was on an-off day. The circular for the meeting stated that all personnel on duty were to attend without fail. At around 2.00 PM, the remaining staff all gathered at the boardroom for the meeting. The secretary called on the meeting. On top of the agenda was one new issue arising as to why the female employees were regularly absenting themselves from duty without proper cause. A day ago, her 3-year old son had fallen ill and she had been called from the workstation to attend to him. She was the only lady present in the meeting.
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When the issue came up for discussion, she was put on her feet to explain why she had previously ‘absconded’ duty without ‘proper reasoning’. She tried to argue her case out but, the directors present only stared at her. She was warned that if ‘they ladies continued to abscond duty, they would soon be forced to relinquish their duties!’ She was so embarrassed. The thought that the male employees also failed to appear on duty but, nothing was talked of them hurt her more. Furthermore, the chairman of the board of directors put on hold the ladies employees from going for their off-days. They were told that they were not supposed to go for our off-day until the punishment was over. That was outright gender discrimination in the workplace. This issue did not affect her alone but to many other lady employees.
Analysis of the experience
I have viewed my aunt’s case, from a symbolic view as the employer responded to external gender cues by treating ladies different within the organization. By refusing to give off days to ladies and further castigating them with baseless accusations, the managing director displayed discrimination by making assumptions on the ability of ladies within the organization to complete their duties.
