Women in PR have been rocking since the time PR as a profession came into existence, but they also face a lot of obstacles because of ingrained gender stereotypes and the need to balance their home and professional lives. Behind the glamorous façade of successful news coverage and swanky presentations lie the untold struggles faced by ‘Women-in-PR’.
Despite appearing progressive on the outside, many sectors still favour male leadership in positions of authority, or favour sharing special ‘chit-chats’ with the same gender during ‘sutta– breaks’ or after-office ‘adda’. This prejudice somehow affects how clients are assigned in a consultancy or jobs are allotted in a corporate setup, so it is seen that it’s predominantly a very patriarchal scenario that seems to be dominating the floor and such prejudice is clearly visible even in the most unbiased corporates.
Every day for any ‘Women-in-PR’ is not only about her talent or knowledge, it is about her tenacity and her determination to handle the challenges that keep popping out of nowhere or are directed towards her. To top this up, the demanding nature of PR roles take a toll on their mental and emotional well-being, leading to feelings of guilt and burnout when it comes to family, nonetheless, their effort to bring around an absolute balance in their role both at home and at work is unmatched, no matter what the struggle.
Despite their achievements and accolades, many ‘Women- in-PR’ grapple with imposter syndrome – a persistent feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt. The pressure to constantly prove themselves day after day undermines their confidence and hinders their ability to take on experimental jobs and work risks.
In the realm of PR, women often encounter a typical statement, especially from their fellow male colleagues, “You got this done, because you are a woman, Oh, how I wish I had those —-!” But my experience of twenty years has trained me to have a laser focus, as success in this profession is all about leveraging one’s strengths, adhering to timelines, crisis preparedness, and impeccable grammar (pun intended)! Through unwavering perseverance, ‘Women-in-PR’ have reshaped this industry, in fact, I am proud to say that women here are not privileged — in fact, they are pioneers and indispensable contributors to the success of this thriving PR industry!
Summarising the journey of ‘Women-in-PR’ despite their unnoticed struggle poetically goes like this- ‘She rose like a phoenix to transform her challenges into victories and failures into progress.”
Our simple ask to men out there is to support women rather than fear/get intimidated by their presence irrespective of their personal judgment or position. Having said that, I would like to acknowledge the support of all those people who have strived to create an inclusive environment- one of support and collaboration where both men and women can work together, empower each other, and thus thrive in their respective roles by handholding each other. Thank you guys for helping us to put our best foot forward and by believing in the strength and responsibility we carry! Let’s together strive to invest our best selves to create something valuable for the industry.
To sum it up I would like to raise a toast to all those ‘Women in PR’ who have continued in this profession. What I have always enjoyed in this profession is some real ‘women friends’ I made who always had my back, helped me with ‘story leads’ and in job hunts, seemingly they pulled me out in my times of desperation and to this day have gone on to be my loyal 3 am buddies.
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