The empowering feminist movement did grant us a number of rights, from voting to buying property and even opening bank accounts on our own. But even in 2024, we cannot deny that women still wrestle with gender inequality, particularly in the workplace. Inequality in pay, discrimination in climbing the career ladder and casual sexist conduct are some of the things that perpetuate gender inequality at the workplace.
Gender equality not only impedes the development and growth of women but also has a significant influence on their overall mental health. On World Mental Health Day, we dig deep into how perpetual gender inequality at the workplace and how it affects their mental health as well as stunts their growth.
In an exclusive chat with iDiva, Pragya Arora, Senior Psychologist at coto, a social community platform exclusively for women, offered her insights into the effects of workplace gender inequality on women’s mental health and what can be done to deal with it.
On gender inequality in the workplace
In the men versus women war, most often, we forget to factor in the debilitating effects of gender inequality women face everyday. Men may be sick of hearing our chants and slogans for equality but if they realise that women witness gender biases and discrimination, deeply entrenched in the fabric of our society, they will be convinced that our fight for equality is just the first step towards the betterment of women’s mental health and, in turn, empowering them.
Pragya said that gender inequality is one of the biggest contributors to women’s mental health issues in the modern world. The biases that we see today shape their professional experiences and career. These gender biases pave the way for unrealistic expectations set up on women that also hamper their mental well being and general performance on a day today basis.
Pragya explains, “Gender inequality profoundly impacts women’s mental health, extending beyond fairness to deeply ingrained biases that shape their experiences in professional settings. These biases manifest as daily discrimination and unrealistic expectations, leading to significant mental health challenges.”
Women are always “hypervigilant” due to gender inequality
Pragya says that when women experience gender inequality on a daily basis, they experience something called hypervigilance. It means that women inherently operate expecting that they will be treated differently. Dealing with this mindset constantly not only affects their performance at the workplace but also exhausts them mentally, leading to cognitive decline.
For example, if a man and woman are tasked with speaking to a room full of men, they will surely prepare differently. A man would go in thinking that he has to impress a bunch of other men with his presentation and talking style. He wouldn’t look constantly on his shoulder and believe that his performance will, in any way, be affected just because he is a man. On the other hand, a woman would go above and beyond to achieve that task successfully so that it is not used against her and pull her back.
Pragya Arora elaborates, “Repeated exposure to inequality causes “hypervigilance,” where women are constantly on edge, anticipating unfair treatment. This state is mentally exhausting and disrupts cognition, making it difficult to concentrate, be creative, or make decisions. The result is a downward spiral of deteriorating mental well-being, ambition, and job satisfaction.”
Why do women hesitate to speak up against gender inequality in the workplace?
If speaking up against gender inequality would have solved everything, we wouldn’t still be living in a patriarchal society. But it’s not that women haven’t voiced against gender inequality. In fact, speaking up against this type of discrimination led to the rise of the feminist movement. But we still have a long way to go. Apart from being “hypervigilant”, women are also often alone in this gender battle. After all, you could be one woman in a room of full men
“Many women experience feelings of loneliness and isolation, believing they face these struggles alone. Fear of backlash or exclusion often leads to silence, preventing them from speaking out,” Arora explains.
Gender inequality and imposter syndrome
Even today, the ratio of male CEOs to female ones is lopsided. Even if you are a high-achieving woman, chances are you will doubt yourself and don’t give yourself credit for how far you have come. This state of mind is equivalent to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is a mental health issue in which an individual does not give himself or herself credit for his or her achievements and feels that he or she doesn’t deserve it.
What’s interesting is that gender inequality is actually a driving force for imposter syndrome, leading more and more women to believe that their achievements do not matter as much and they simply don’t deserve it.
The psychologist says, “A significant number of women also suffer from “imposter syndrome,” doubting their achievements and attributing success to luck, which fosters a pervasive sense of inadequacy.”
The toxic trope of ‘superwoman’ and ‘having it all’
In modern society, we love celebrating “superwomen”. If you don’t know who a superwoman is, she is the one who wakes up at 5:00 a.m. to get the children ready, to get herself ready, to make lunches for everyone, lay out her clothes as well as her husband’s and leave for work after her children and husband.
A superwoman is tireless and she can handle everything by herself. She works in the office as if she has no family and she takes care of her family as if she does not have a career. But do we really need to celebrate superwomen? Does society really take sadistic pleasure in looking at lost, tired, anxious and stressed women heading home after the end of a hectic day? Pragya explains how the concept of superwoman actually impairs women’s growth and mental health.
“The societal pressure for women to be some kind of a “superwoman” and “have it all” adds further stress, romanticising the notion that they can effortlessly balance work, family, and personal life. This unrealistic expectation can lead to burnout and depression, as seen in the tragic case of Anna Sebastian,” says Pragya.
Dismantling gender inequality in the workplace
Dismantling gender inequalityis a gradual process but it’s going to take conscious steps. Pragya says that there needs to be substantial structural changes in the workplace including mental health policies, transparent pay practices and encouraging women to be in leadership.
She says, “These (gender inequality) issues do not exist in isolation; they intertwine, creating a complex web of challenges. This cumulative impact leads to “cognitive load,” where women expend mental energy coping with inequalities and unrealistic standards to prove their worth. To address this, we need structural changes in workplace culture. Implementing transparent pay scales, increasing women in leadership, and providing unconscious bias training are essential steps. Additionally, offering psychological services tailored to women’s needs should be mandatory. Creating a safe space for women to express themselves and advocate for change is crucial for breaking the silence and empowering them. Ultimately, we must shift the narrative from the “superwoman” ideal to a culture that promotes flexibility and acceptance, allowing women to thrive without the weight of unrealistic expectations.”
Social and lead images credits: Freepik
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