I just received an email from my Indian Bank, ICICI. A normal email, many of you would think. It’s telling me about the budget and what it has in store for me. What do I need to do, what opportunities do I have as an investor etc etc. But look at the picture that goes along side the advice – see below. What do you see? What are you unconsciously thinking? Here is an international bank who suggests that all home makers are women while men are students, entrepreneurs and salaried class. For those of you women just starting out in your career, do you see yourselves as outside the norm? By perpetuating this idea of “typical” roles for women and men, we are unconsciously muzzling the woman and increasing narcissism amongst men. Both have huge long-term problems in the long run. The current political situation in the US is just one glaring example.
If we genuinely want to empower ourselves and others, aspire to be better students, leaders, home makers or entrepreneurs we have to break the unconscious shackles of what society expects of us and challenge ourselves. Be more introspective and self aware, be more creative in our approach and not get influenced by these subliminal messages that will hit our inbox on a daily basis.
Meanwhile let’s hope that someone from ICICI reads this and removes the picture that goes with their budget news email.
