Bread-and-butter issues are women's main concern, not homosexuality
By Loh Chee Kong & Alicia Wong, TODAY | Posted: 02 May 2009 0726 hrs
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 The AWARE office (file pic) | ||||||
SINGAPORE: Death threats, sackings and sudden resignations, the changing of office locks, a bitter war of words and even a shouting match in full view of reporters.
As if these weren't enough, last month's dramatic change of leadership at AWARE has also seen the emergence of a self-proclaimed "feminist mentor", a church and a major bank here being thrust into the spotlight as well as parents' complaints over an alleged pro-gay sex-education guide being used by trainers in some secondary schools.
It is not hard to see why, despite the ongoing recession and the onset of swine flu, the AWARE saga has quickly become fodder for gossip among many Singaporeans.
Interest in the women's advocacy group has certainly spiked: As the two factions prepare for a showdown at an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday, membership has swelled from about 300 before this saga unravelled to more than 1,000 — and the numbers are growing.
"The squabble makes for very good tabloid reading, but at the end of the day, it's destroying the very organisation that both sides are fighting for," said one working woman in her 30s.
Indeed, for the 24-year-old association, which touts itself as a voice for Singapore women, the irony is that the vast majority of women-in-the-street are not particularly bothered by the one issue at the heart of the entire dispute: AWARE's stance on homosexuality.
Not that this issue is entirely unimportant, but a Weekend Xtra straw poll of 50 Singapore women, aged between 24 and 75, found that they clearly have other more important bread-and-butter issues to worry about, particularly during this recession, and they say they need all the help they can get.
Job Security
Even before the current recession, office manager Pauline Blasky, 46, felt that it was already tough for women in their 40s to land jobs.
Said Ms Blasky: "Potential employers feel that we are set in our ways and not open to changes ... that we will not be happy if our supervisors are younger than us."
Several, like Ms Blasky, said they feared the worst going forward. Against a backdrop of jobs cuts, some pregnant employees couldn’t help but worry about their livelihoods, while those who are not pregnant admitted they would even put off giving birth to keep their jobs for now.
As one respondent put it, mums-to-be "not only grapple with motherhood but also the fear that they might be retrenched after returning from four months’ maternity leave".
Even if such overt discrimination does not occur, "it rears its ugly head in subtle forms", said Ms Daphne Ling, who is pregnant with her second child.
Said Ms Ling, 26: "For example, major projects are given to guys or non-pregnant women. And even though we may be contributing the same amount of work, when it comes to appraisals and promotions, getting pregnant is a definite way of getting passed over."
Labour MP Halimah Yacob, a vocal champion of gender equality at the workplace, told Weekend Xtra there was little evidence to suggest that women would be more susceptible to job cuts compared to men in this recession.
In fact, she pointed out the "timely" changes to the Employment Act, which were passed by Parliament prior to the onset of the recession. The amended laws offer greater protection for pregnant women against workplace discrimination.
Still, the "sense of vulnerability" among working women was "understandable" — even if they might be unfounded, noted Madam Halimah.
Clearly, groups which say they want to help women, like AWARE, have their work cut out for them, especially when it comes to women from lower-income homes who want to return to the work place.
Said Ms Teo Hwee Nak, who is in her early 30s and running her own business: "This could be in the form of counselling — even just providing the support service of helping a woman assess her strengths, helping to build the right image to present to employers, helping with their resumes, interviewing skills."
Family vs career
It does not end there. Once they return to work, Singapore women face a fresh set of challenges — juggling the demands of home and office.
Add to that the perception, in the eyes of some women, that they are not given equal recognition — in terms of opportunities or wages — as their male counterparts.
"When people come across a woman who is strong and capable in the workplace ... she is usually branded a 'bitch'," observed 24-year-old sales executive Nitasya Ibrahim.
"If men display these qualities, he is considered a 'born leader'."
While some companies have recognised the need for family-friendly schemes, several women polled felt progress was still too slow and the onus should not lie solely with employers.
In particular, women's groups could prove their worth, they said, by conducting more research to recommend improvements to the support available to working mothers. Public education could also go a long way in shaping society’s expectations that women ought to put their families first.
Said Ms Nitasya: "That expectation is not fair, especially when men are not subjected to it."
Concurring, Ms Teo argued that this is where a non-governmental women's group such as AWARE could play a "stronger lobbying role".
Generally speaking, the Weekend Xtra straw poll found that one of the most pressing concerns facing women below the age of 50 was their job and financial security during this downturn.
In the longer term, it was equal pay and opportunities at work as well as more flexible work arrangements.
For those aged 50 and above, health was uppermost on their minds — with several asking women's groups to invest more in education about common health problems.
And also to be a voice to argue the case for increased healthcare subsidies.
Other areas where women here wanted a voice included greater support for single women and increased protection from spousal abuse.
With so many issues facing Singapore women, the AWARE leadership, whoever they may eventually turn out to be, certainly has its plate full.
But first, it has to get its house in order.
- TODAY/so
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