Bias has formed an integral part of society, though unconsciously occurring. People no longer take a realistic and factual view of things as they ought to.
Bias is that constantly occurring action resulting from your general thought pattern and opinions.
Bias is built overtime and influenced by a few factors, like;
Upbringing: Where you lived, who raised you and for what period of time largely affects and influences the thought patterns you build overtime.
For example: You live with a set of people who have a cultural belief that a woman is not meant to work to earn, but to be domesticated and raise children.
By default, that person becomes aggressive towards any woman who'll be thinking of venturing to earn or who's in Business!
That's why when they might necessarily need their service because of the value they give, they become rude and proud to do the needful.
Location: People become accustomed to the tradition of their locality. The more you stay in a place where the norm is to have women quiet and less participative to prove their worth, femininity and obedience to the rules, that's the more your mind begins to buy into the bias that a woman is meant for less and that's her best
Popular opinion: Society will defend an idea like ‘a woman shouldn't be the president or manage an organization’, without factual reasons why she shouldn't! It becomes a shared opinion by people.
A woman has always been in a tussle for power and position over the man, wow! What a wrong idiosyncrasy and bias that society has built.
It is time enough to consider “BreakingTheBias”!
Power: I refer to those in authority and have the ability to make laws and decide affairs, politics or otherwise.
When they are ruled by the mindset of authority over every woman, the impact is felt because she'll never be found worthy for leadership, and if found, the unexplainable backlash is what she gets for no crime
Our bias on a matter causes a declaration of generally incorrect facts.
Bias happens to affect thinking and following actions, it causes an impediment on right decision making!
It looks more like a subconscious thinking on a matter that becomes a general influence on your action taking.
“Breaking The Bias” is therefore enforcing the desired change in action towards existing bias, in your very minute or massive way.
Understanding that we've had need for a definite change in bias-controlled actions is the starting point to correcting the disorder of bias in society.
Changing the narrative of bias in society and the effects it has had on industry, politics, homes and globally must be everybody's business and course.
Lots of bias occurs daily and most times you also find yourself in this game of bias.
It is high time we collectively throw away the system of bias passed on to us or built unknown to us. That's why this year the International Women's Day celebration is titled “BreakTheBias” , and globally, society is analysing several biases that have eaten deep into people against women.
1
Workplace bias
A woman can be in authority but given low regard or reward because she's a woman which will make her feel a certain emotional letdown.
The value deserving a woman in authority or service is her worth. Society should no longer water down this worth with baseless contentions of the man being more deserving.
If the value of that enterprise is what she's got and delivering accurately, then, the laborer is worthy of his wages.
If there's a spot for promotion and a woman fits more, let her have the position! “BreakTheBias”
2
Traditional bias:
There are some biased rules guiding a set of people against the Women. This happen to be a tradition in most parts of the world.
For example, some traditions forbid a woman talking with fixed gaze on a man to show respect and honor.
It a biased thinking that a man is above the woman. That's not true!
Most times unknown to people that it's biased, they partake in these traditions.
3
Religious bias
Most religious beliefs encourage the male gender to live as heads over women and with this, the wrong message has been spread.
Instead of the assumption that the man is the head over a man, it is rather proper to say the man is the head of his wife.
And that, the woman has equal advantage to live without making a struggle for who's what.
4
Psyche bias
Psyche bias is the mindset that influences biased actions and the feeling that you've been judgmentally treated.
Psyche bias of Men: Some men will always think that they are superior to women, and they own them most especially their partner, wife. They feel they should be honored. Not bad. But when it becomes at the expense of her freedom and happiness, then it's a no!
This thought pattern is biased and in turn functions their arrogant response to women.
“BreakTheBias”!
Psyche bias of Women: With the unchanged bias of society against women, women have as well built a bias system of thinking and actions through:
Always being in a bid to prove that, they are higher than a man or equal to the men! Hello! That's still not true!
Gender Equality should be rebranded and reformed to Gender Uniqueness!
A woman is beautifully distinct from a man from body/looks to thinking patterns/actions.
Masculinity and Femininity! They might sound alike but are certainly not the same! The Uniqueness is the Deal!
That is to say, bias is a general problem of society, whose engine room is the mind and whose perpetrators and victims are everyone!
Freed from social damage will be the story of society if the bias is broken! “BreakTheBias”!
“Happiness Emeche is a Soul Winner, Author and Entrepreneur. Director, Bowl of Testimonies Intl”