The Empress of Blandings

Yesterday I blew my fuse..

Got a mail at work that there's a women's group to be formed and nominations are invited for the core team.. I was ecstatic with the thought that FINALLY management recognizes the 'different' needs of women at the workplace, and aims to work towards them..

So, yesterday I was eagerly looking forward to the meeting, when I and the other dynamic women in my workplace join together towards making our organization a more women-friendly one.. It already has got many good policies, but not many of us even know about it! Now is the time, to know the good and amend the not-so-good! Hence, even though it was Friday and my work was over by 4:30, I did not rush home to take the little fella out on a stroller walk (something he yearns for..), and waited for the 5:00 meeting..

Well... there were 5 of us women, all with hope in their eyes.. The meeting organizer started: 'In this forum we shall not talk about any sensitive issues, let us not make this a crib-session.. and this forum is in no way recognized or sponsored by the management.. they will provide us space'..

TO DO WHAT?!!! KNIT SWEATERS?!

That was that.. I wonder why I did not walk out right then.. Why did i sit there and took all the horseshit and tried to reason (i did say it on the organizer's face that this is just an eyewash).. Some other colleagues spoke more cool-headedly, i guess due to benevolence towards the organizer as she seemed to be fresh out of the schoolbus.. They talked about the womens' forums in other organizations, where the forum is meant to discuss 'sensitive issues' and address the painpoints of women employees (of course!)

Apparently this whole idea of forming a women's forum was to follow up on an action point gathered from a women's day discussion (i was on maternity leave then..).. and seems like they just took an easy way out to check off this action-point - by organizing a group of women who'd help conduct yoga/dance/book reading sessions!!!!

Wake up mehearties in certain HR holes! The women who you wish to herd without a forethought or preparation, are accomplished no-nonsense consultants who have seen quite a bit of the planet..!!
And personally, I refuse to eat anything that you lay out as grub in front of me, and I refuse to say Oink-oink to you when you pat my back.. (I say that only to my little fella, cuz that's his favorite part in "old macdonald had a farm"...)

(NOW i feel better!)