Breaking Glass Ceilings: Feminism and Architecture
Date Posted: September 1, 2020
Posted In: Ideas, Workforce,
From BuildNext CONNECT: This is the age of feminism and equality. Gender biases are crumbling to ashes. Women in this 21st century have conquered heights that the previous generation would not have thought possible. We have seen women climb the tallest mountain, represent us at international level competitions, and govern the country as president (Pratibha Patil, the 12th president of India, 2007-2012).
Zaha Hadid
Yet, gender bias is ingrained into our society from years and years of conditioning. It is not something that we can eradicate in one generation. There are sectors that remain closed to women even today. Also, there are mindsets that we cannot change in one day. Here is an approach about women in construction!
Construction is one of the male-dominated sectors in the economy, from migrant workers to top-level architects, engineers, and consultants. This tier has been exclusive. The construction sector has only very recently opened up to the possibility of a woman leading a project. Even then, they have to face a barrage of oppositions, problems, harassment, and even blatant sexism. The idea that a woman can be the sole chief architect still induces a wide-mouthed gape from several people who still cannot wrap their heads around it.
“You have to really believe not only in yourself; you have to believe that the world is actually worth your sacrifices”
– Zaha Hadid
After a bachelor’s degree that lasts half a decade, the encouragement for women is to get married and settle down with little or no regard for her career or dreams. The society expects them to become stay-at-home mothers in spite of being highly qualified. This is true for all sectors. Given the equal opportunity, anyone can shine at any workplace irrespective of their gender. And yet, after a professional course such as architecture, the female architect is always persuaded to go into teaching or research. Women in construction are coerced into subjects like interior design and landscape design for their masters because apparently that is the softer option.