‘Male dominance is a perception’: Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen tells Filipina business leaders
MANILA, Philippines — Sushmita Sen has been a cultural icon and a paragon for women across the globe since winning India’s first Miss Universe crown in 1994, in a pageant held in the Philippines.
Today, she remains firm in her advocacy as she joins global business leaders in speaking about their experiences as women in leadership roles in a web series titled “TaskUs 121: Women on Spotlight.”
Through the years, the Indian actress, poet and philanthropist broke barriers and lived a life not weighed down by dated societal expectations on women. She is proud to have broken through the glass ceiling –– a proverbial metaphor for the barrier that prevents women from reaching their full socio-economic potential — and encourages other women to follow suit.
Sen, famous for her winning answer to the question, “What is the essence of being a woman?” is thrilled to be part of the web series and determined to use her influence to amplify women’s voices on pressing issues.
“In the 26 years that I have spent after that moment, I still stick to my answer: A woman is a precious gift of God, and we should all appreciate her. At 18, I answered that question, and it has taken me twenty-six years to understand its true meaning, and I’ve lived it,” Sen told Filipina business leaders in the webinar series launched today.
The online talk show features women leaders from different fields coming together to discuss the advantages of having more women in leadership positions. It looks into how diverse and inclusive workplace cultures create sustainable communities.
According to TaskUs, an outsourcing provider committed to creating diverse and inclusive work environments, while the Philippines has made progressive strides in terms of gender equality in the workplace as 47.7% of working age Filipino women participate in the workforce, they remain to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions.
The web series, exclusively featured on TaskUs’s LinkedIn account with new episodes airing every Thursday, aims to bring out insights of leaders who act as the company’s cultural heralds and gatekeepers. Its mission is to inspire women to take space, advance in positions of leadership and pave the way for others to succeed.
Sushmita believes it is time for society to be aware of female strength.
“Male dominance is a perception. That perception is fueled by the fact that women have accepted it because our conditioning has taught us that,” she said.
“Human beings have tremendous potential. If you were to put a man and woman together, faceless, without knowing their gender, to sit down in an exam to get into an organization, you’ll be very impressed to see how many women actually make it. To get over our biases is one of the most important ways to be better and thrive as a society.” — Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
