In an Instagram post, influencer Dolly Singh wrote about the pressures of navigating social interactions with more powerful men. The post, which has since gone viral, highlights the reality most women face every day in their workplace interactions with men.
In her Instagram post, she wrote, "As a grown woman who is trying to be independent, I find it so hard to navigate conversations with men in more power than me."
"I find myself constantly worried if their goodness is in (some way) connected to a sexual favour they will soon ask (of) me even if it's through a twitch in their eye," the post read.
Always On The Defense
A popular content creator, Dolly Singh is also an actress, having acted in Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, Modern Love, and Feels Like Home. Her post highlights the reality of the industry, and the things women are expected to do to get ahead.
Many times, women often engage in social interactions with men hoping for a genuine friendship. More often than not, these friendships are not reciprocated, with men often expecting sexual favours and/or romantic affairs, believing that such overtures of friendship from the woman's end are actually a sign of interest.
Singh wrote that she was "constantly in fear that this friendship is nothing but an attempt to get into my pants." She further described how she had to watch her every behaviour, to ensure she didn't say or do anything that could lead anyone to believe she was "interested."
In the workplace, women who earn great opportunities are often left doubting themselves. Women often feel like the opportunities they earn they get not because of their own merit, but because something is expected out of them, something Dolly notes in her post as well.
How To Help
The situation might seem like it's hopeless for women- and the road to ending systemic inequality is long. Despite the many victories, the patriarchy still runs strong and negatively impacts both women and men.
Whilst men benefit from the patriarchy, they also suffer because of it- Dolly's post also draws attention to the fact that there are men who simply wish to be friends with women. In a comment, she outlines how men can be allies to women in the workplace, and what they can do to make women more comfortable.
After all, she writes, "It's not like we can't be buddies, we just take our time to make sure we can trust you."
Views expressed by the author are their own
Suggested Reading: How Kusha Kapila And Dolly Singh Redefine Mental Health Narratives
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