Of "Diversity" and "Feminism"

"Diversity" has become the new mantra of the corporate honchos.

Its a wide open word. And like every other wide open word, it has many interpretations.

Diversity means inclusion of different variants of thoughts, ideas, opinions, colors, genders, orientations - as long as it is all put together towards a common goal.

Its much easier to certain types of DNAs to take their own decisions, impose on others with authority and get to the goal sooner and sometimes cleaner. Unfortunately, this has severe side effects. Such as - getting in to a single track mind. Developing "know-all" syndrome. Creating prejudices. Creating barriers based on differences.

But it is difficult for the same authoritative DNAs to listen to all different opinions, all different thoughts and make an all encompassing roadmap that takes all to the goal. The pleasure is shared. There are many winners, and many heroes. There are many leaders and many followers.

So, when you make something as big as diversity a mantra - a lot of corporate citizens choose the easy way (same old "I know it well" culture - authoritative) and package it as diversity for better career mileage.

Hence in corporations today, it has taken predominantly one meaning, one interpretation.
"Include the fairer gender". It has necessitated a corporate feminist movement.

I am no expert in feminism. But in last three days, I ve had three seemingly un-related events to report which have something to do with this.

Event 1 :
We are back hiring fresh grads from different reputed engineering schools. Each panel that visits a campus to identify bright potentials, is specifically told to hire more women. Reason "Diversity".

This creates confusion. If you find more young men "thinking" / "applying" ideas differently - would it be more diverse or finding a mix of more men and women thinking alike will create more diversity ? is the sex ratio of an organization, right bench mark to decide the diversity it has ?

Event 2:
Post campus interviews, I spent 4-5 hours talking to a colleague about a troubled marriage. Separated husband and wife. A 9 year old in the middle. The mom's compulsion to hang on to a stressful job and a British era boss just to provide for the baby.

The moms courage to take it on all alone and at the same time the reluctance to go legal and file for a divorce and look for a new life. Day in day out, telling lies to a growing kid that "Dad is traveling on business". The new age woman who is becoming stronger and stronger everyday struggling through it all. Building block of the original post world war feminist era. Driven by necessity and not a shallow corporate mantra.

Event 3:
On the way back from the engineering school a conversation on "pseudo-feminism" with colleague ( a woman) who is successful, ambitious, modern, smart and upwardly mobile. A view that is quite different and critical of what feminism is made out to be.

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I am sure the diversity in corporates would mean more one day. I am sure feminists riding on the diversity wave, will hear the story of the mom who needs to be strong. I am sure diversity meets will be more than corporate kitty parties.