Unsung heroines

Salon girls and supermarket cashiers are not exactly the stuff of cover stories. That’s why Vinita Bharadwaj salutes them on International Women’s Day

A filmmaker friend of mine strongly believes the only source of hope in the world today is a woman. His beliefs are ancient and far from original, but, as he says, they are forgotten.

He calls women the epicentre of harmony in a family. When asked if he ever wished for a Men’s Day, he just shrugs his shoulders and says, “Men should really consider themselves lucky to have women around them and learn to be more humane through them.”

To be honest, I have no idea why International Women’s Day is celebrated or what about women it glorifies. With Earth Day, UN Day and Mother-in-law Day, it becomes a bit hard to keep track.

All it makes me wonder is, are women reduced to a Day?

Then again, after a long hard thought and a few interviews with some of Dubai’s unsung heroines, it seems that today is a day when a moment must be given to thank these women who give up so much to serve others.

Aisha Suleja owns a thriving ladies salon in Karama. However, unlike many owners Suleja’s story is one worth listening to.

Today, she heads a team of 9 women, but less than 12 years ago she was like one of them, working in someone else’s salon. “It was Allah’s grace and my husband’s support that gave me the courage to make my dreams come true,” she says.

A mother of three young children, Suleja can often be found working alongside her girls as she cuts, styles or gives a facial to her clients.

Unperturbed by the long hours especially during the festive season, Suleja’s team secretly admit that it is her dedication that gives them the strength to work.

Same story

“I understand their needs and their problems,” she says, recalling her days of working in a salon.

“When I was in Mumbai I did dream and hope to own a salon but never did I think it would come true in Dubai,” she says. She has served as a role model to her team, proving that dreams can be realised.

The girls and Suleja say that despite beautifying the many women that walk through their doors there is never any grudge to live the lives of their clients.

“This is a job for us and a job by choice. We know that women who come here have a happening social life but that is not our life so there is no space for jealous thoughts,” says Sadhana, who works at the salon.

On the contrary, say the rest of them, free time entitles them to work on their own nails and hair. “This is actually a good profession as we don’t have to deal with men!” they say with a collective giggle.

With 75 per cent of their waking hours spent around women, the girls say they have never consciously been made to feel that they live in a man’s world or the need to set aside a day exclusively for women.

“It’s a world filled with struggles so it really doesn’t matter what gender you are,” they say, however, after much deliberation, they admit that “it would be nice if customers could just understand they are human who are prone to error and have the same feelings and sensitivities as everyone else”.

This brings me to my next question. Has the world moved away from feminism? Are gender biases a thing of the past in what has become a highly individualistic society?

Commitments count

Honey George, a supervisor at a local supermarket chain, says that feminism, women’s rights and women’s day are not a thing for everyday people.

George has single-handedly shouldered the responsibilities of her family and has worked her way from a cashier to her present-day role of being in charge of all the cashiers and customer service desk.

“When you have so many commitments and have to work extra hard, you don’t have time to think about your gender or your race or your nationality,” she says.

“The goals are more immediate and practical. Traditionally in Indian society the son takes care of the family but I have taken on that role in my family and have never been made to feel conscious of the fact that I’m a woman,” she says.

George’s life is no different from many of the working women in the city. She has a young child and strives to find the right balance between work and home.

“It’s very important that working women realise they have to be equally committed to their jobs and not bring their personal problems to work. If I have had any success in my job it is entirely because of my husband’s support,” she says.

Women’s Day may be a time to fete female icons and draw out lists of top 10 women over the last 10 centuries, but I am hoping that was not the main intent.

It might well be a reminder for people all over to wish well upon the women in their lives who support and serve them, without forgetting the men who might have in turn encouraged and stood by these women.