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Idea of ‘leftover women’ exaggerates masculine power
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AS a professional working for over two decades and a firm believer in the value that women bring to the workforce, I am increasingly interested in the concept of “leftover women.”
In this article, I aim to highlight the way in which women can empower themselves in the workplace to be on equal footing with men.
When did 27 become old age? The notion that a woman’s use expires after a certain age, particularly when women are contributing professionally more than ever before, is an extraordinary claim.
For many, the term “leftover women” is uncomfortable to hear and to consider.
Put yourself in the mind of a young Chinese female. Society defines women over the age of 27 as “leftover” and nearly impossible to get married.
Although their education level and career potential is high, they are considered to have almost no prospects.
Is it true to assume women are simply giving up with the pressure? I hope not.
In permitting this thinking to spread, a falsehood of “leftover women” matures into perceived reality.
The truth of the matter is that women — “leftover” or not — have contributed and continue to contribute significantly to China’s economic viability.
A woman’s worth
When Mao said that Chinese women “hold up half the sky” he understood the importance of women to the growth of society. It seems China’s women have heeded this call.
As of 2012, the International Labor Organization reports Chinese women make up 45.3 percent of the national workforce. To paint many of the working population as not major contributors discounts the decades of significance women have made to modern Chinese society.
As major cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou move from production to a service model of industry, a woman’s professional value will become ever more important.
In May, The New York Times reported record numbers of Chinese women receiving college degrees and entering business schools.
Boston Consulting Group projects female earnings in China to quadruple to US$4 trillion by 2020. It is clear women are doing their fair share of the work and gaining equal traction with men.
In the words of SOHO CEO, Zhang Xin in a recent CNN interview: “China’s been given an amazing opportunity. Women just seized the opportunity, and in this regard I think women in China are given more opportunities than outside, and that’s why you see more self-made women billionaires than elsewhere in the world.”
So, in the case of “leftover” women, how can they overcome the forces working against them professionally?
In a recent Forbes Magazine article, Barbara Apple Sullivan, Managing Partner of Sullivan & Company, discusses breaking conventions and ignoring critics. She mentions editor-in-chief and founder of Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, and IMF chief Christine Lagarde, showing how self-confidence proved beneficial to their careers.
Creating visible presence is knowing what you want to say and saying it with conviction and connection.
It is as easy as pausing to gather your thoughts, asking open questions and limiting long explanations, less is always more. Responding in this manner demonstrates a calm maturity with considered thought and action.
Mary Rezek is founder of and principal consultant at Saatori Ltd. She has been based in China for the past 15 years. Website: www.saatori.com. Email: tellmemore@saatori.com. Shanghai Daily condensed the article.
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