When I sat down to write this blog, honestly, I did not know where and how to start. Yes, I would like to believe that mental health is my forte, but still, I needed to check in and pull myself together before writing. The reason, of course, is because, at some point in my life, I was a victim of gender stereotyping too. In fact, I face it in some form or the other almost every day. When I reflect on my life in India, Australia, and now in the US, I see the commonality being gender discrimination which has not just been around for centuries but is also so engrained despite so many social movements and campaigns, there is minimal change.
Women all over the world still are fighting for equality and equity. They constantly fight for their rights, needs, privacy, fairness, and freedom from certain norms, restrictions, and expectations.
Just because it’s women’s day, I don’t want to disregard the discrimination that happens against men; it does; however, we must admit that “discrimination against women is far more commonly observed.” There is compelling research proving that gender discrimination is one of the primary reasons for mental health problems in women.
Social campaigns have highlighted that gender discrimination manifests in various forms, including discrimination among kids. For example, pink is the color for the girls and blue for the boys, OR girls are good at art and boys are good at math, OR boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls. We might look at these and laugh it off or not pay any attention, but have we ever considered how an individual’s thinking shapes as they grow older because of these unfair judgments?
Research tells us that gender discrimination strongly drives anxiety and depression. Sexist remarks, inability to access education, healthcare, emotional, physical, and financial abuse, power inequality, failure to express themselves, creating a survival dependency on a man, etc., are what women experience every day, and continuous exposure to these creates emotional and physical distress. Through these experiences, women can develop guilt, shame, panic, trauma, frustration, isolation, sadness, anger, and anxiety, thus depriving them of safety and security. The lack of control over themselves and the inability to fix things can make some women avoid certain places, people, and situations and not discuss their feelings.
Sadly, it doesn’t end with that; certain gender norms and stereotypes affect women from a very young age, impacting their self-worth, self-esteem, and identity. Like, as body shaming, stopping women from driving or managing money, objectification, or confining them to the so-called “womanish” roles. When a person’s self-worth and self-esteem are affected, they may be unable to reflect on their natural personality and authentic self or find themselves in a diverse group. These feelings can spiral into a toxic self-blame, self-disgust, and hopelessness.
Some of you might say, I know many women who do so much and multitask flawlessly. Women are born multi-taskers and are well organized. Well, how do I argue with that? But how many see these women stretch themselves to the point of overwhelming stress and burnout but still push to complete housework? How many of us see these women give up their career choices and financial independence to fulfill the role of a caregiver? How many of us see these women as having no self-care and struggling to find a work-life balance?
Finally, how many have heard about a woman who committed suicide because of discrimination?
Remember that social changes and gender mainstreaming movements can positively impact women's lives worldwide. If you identify as a victim of gender discrimination, start your emotional healing journey. In that process, if you need help from a professional, feel free to contact us.
"If you know a woman suffering from gender discrimination, empower her to help her break barriers."
**Research material can be requested from the blog author.
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