Senin, 22 Desember 2008

Discrimination Against All

I was upset because I feel that I was discriminated just because I am a women. Around a week ago, my friend asked me if I would be available to replace him for 3 days as a language assistant in one consultant firm in Dumai, Riau because he'll be away for christmas holliday. He then asked me to send my cv and he would give it to his consultant. I have a long vacation during christmas anyway. A day later, he sent me an email. Fit, I've sent your cv to my consultant, but he thinks that next week would be tough so he prefer a man. this is quoted from my concultant's email: I would love to have ibu, but this place will be hell for her so I prefer the man.


My first reaction was surprise. That was the first time I did not get a job clearly because I am a women with vagina, the consultant prefer a man with penis, and I am considered not to be capable to do a 3 days job as a language asisstant in Dumai that the consultant believes would be hell for me. I wrote to my friend saying that finally I faced a situation where my sex is a matter and tell him that I smell discrimination there. He replied that his bos select the other candidate beside he is a man, he was also born in London. If the consultant used the reason that someone who was born in London would speak better English than me, that would be more acceptable than using the main reason "I am a woman". I'm wondering If I changed my cv, erase the photograph, and write my name as F. Adi Anugrah. does it sound man enough? Would the situation change?


The next day, I saw one of my friend YM's status: damn you Kartini, you win the gender battle. Kartini, die you, and so on and so forth basically condemning Kartini for the emancipation. I buzz him and asked him what happen. He said that he was applying for a business analyst position in one of big MNC. The Human Resources Department said that he was the best candidate from the top three and the HRD will highly promote him to the user. A month later he was called. the HRD said that the department always suggested him, the best candidate to the user, but the user prefer a woman simply because the regional office is bored with man. In this case, the vagina defeated the penis. I told him what happened to me and he said that even though I failed, it was only a side job, around two million in a shot for three days, while he was applying for a permanent job.


Now, let's "analyze" the situation. Refering ONLY to the above case (because in the reality the situation will be totally different), both man and woman are equally treated, equally discriminated and equally get the priviledge. For me and and my male friend, we were discriminated because of our gender. For our competitors, they were benefited by their gender. But is this a situation we are looking for? an equality many people are fighting for? I believe it's not. The ideal one, man are women are equally treated based on their capability and quality not based on their sex. The next day, my friend YM status was "I wish I were a woman" Imagine how many women said the same thing for years "I wish I were a man". Discrimination is sucks, and I believe equality is still a long way to go. It's going to be way longer if we all decide to be ignorant.