AGAINST THE ODDS: WOMEN IN MALE DOMINATED FIELDS

~by Zayyina Hasan

(this project is part of MOJO which are done in three different forms of media)

A multimedia story on the lives of women who work in male dominated fields. The story explores their lives, experiences and struggles.

12 percent of the 780 Head of Department positions in various fields like direction, cinematography, editing, writing, and production design are held by women in India. Women form 15% of the logistics workforce, globally. Around 12 percent of the Police force in India, is comprised of women. Women make up about 15 percent of transport workforce in India. The first ever Director of Photography, BR Vijayalakshmi worked on her first film in 1985. 

As we move well into the year 2025, almost 80 years since our independence, we are still writing articles about women who excel in male dominated fields. Why is it still commendable and not common. 

It is still an existing discourse why we do not have enough women in almost all professions in the world, let alone India. The most basic factor is lack of education provided for girls across the country. In a country where selective abortion of female foetuses still exists, equal education for girls might sound like a long shot. Historically, women were expected to fulfill traditional roles in society, such as homemakers, and educators in India, as for all over the world. Also, careers in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as politics, construction, and law enforcement, were considered male domains. This does not mean that women never worked, women have been doing unpaid and unrecognised labour for centuries. 

Even after finding their way to break through into professions dominated by men, it is simply not enough. The pattern of inequality continues. One of the most prominent barriers for women in professions is unconscious bias. Women are often judged more harshly than their male colleagues, with their capabilities questioned and their achievements minimized. In fields where men dominate leadership positions, women may struggle to gain recognition for their contributions, and their ideas may be dismissed or overlooked. Sexual harassment is another serious issue that women face in many male dominated industries. Women in male dominated professions are more likely to experience harassment, which can create hostile work environments and discourage women from advancing in their careers. Also, women often face a lack of mentorship and networking opportunities in male dominated fields, which can limit their career growth. With fewer women in leadership roles, there are fewer female mentors to offer guidance, advice, and support. 

While the challenges are undeniable, there are countless women who have defied the odds and strive in male dominated industries. In this article four women from four contrasting career fields, film, technology, service and law enforcement share their experiences of working in male dominated fields. 

JUHI SHARMA

Juhi Sharma, is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, cinematographer based in New York and Mumbai, specializing in documentaries, fiction films, music videos, and branded content, with a keen focus on portraying the stories of women and underserved communities. 

From an aspiring psychologist to a cinematographer, Juhi has had quite the journey. Despite her enthusiasm and newfound passion, the journey was far from easy. The film industry, especially cinematography, has long been a male dominated space, and as one of the few women in her master's program, she faced skepticism and sexism from her peers. Classmates would question her abilities, offering to carry her gear or suggesting she take on acting roles instead of focusing on cinematography. As a woman in an environment dominated by men, she often found herself pushed into roles she wasn’t interested in, like acting or modeling, rather than being given the opportunity to focus on her cinematography. This experience made her question whether she was truly being excluded because of her skills or because of her gender. Her experiences at college were only a preview to a much bigger picture. When she got ready to step into her new career, turning down a job at The World Bank, as one would expect from conventional Indian parents, Juhi’s parents were very skeptical as “cinema is not the place for women”. But eventually they gave in as they were a little more giving than the average parent and Juhi was a little less of it, in her words. Even as she gained more success having worked on projects for platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Discovery, she still found herself constantly having to prove her worth. She noticed that even among women in the industry, there was a sense of competition. Women often felt the need to prove themselves by belittling each other, mirroring the toxic behaviors they had seen in their male counterparts. This environment, fueled by a sense of scarcity, was something she worked hard to get out of. She shared how difficult it is to break into the “boys' club,” where male colleagues often recommended each other for jobs, even when they knew she was just as qualified. 

In terms of the broader industry, she firmly believed that change had to come from both within and outside of the film world. There needed to be stronger anti harassment laws, more scholarships for women in film schools, and, most importantly, more women involved in telling stories. Juhi wasn’t interested in the stories of the rich and privileged; rather, she gravitated toward the narratives of those whose voices were often unheard. This perspective also influenced how she ran her own projects, ensuring that women had access to opportunities behind the camera, whether it was through mentoring or providing them with hands on experience in the field. Ultimately, she emphasized that women should not have to change themselves to fit into this space. The real issue, in her view, was not the women who were trying to succeed but the systemic structures that stifled their growth. Men were allowed to be abrasive and sometimes mean, and yet, respected in their roles. Women, on the other hand, were expected to conform to a very different standard. She believed that if women were just allowed to be themselves without having to fit a mold, they would thrive in the industry just as much as their male counterparts. In the end, the change needed to come from the world, not the women who were already fighting so hard to find their place within it.

SHABEENA ABDULLA

Shabeena is a Senior Distribution Centre Planner at Tesla for the Israel and Turkey regions, a role she has been in for the past two years. With over 20 years of experience in various industries, she brings a wealth of expertise to her position. Starting her career in electronics, Shabeena initially worked with test constructions and then moved to ExxonMobil’s oil and gas sector. Afterward, she spent over a decade in the FMCG industry, handling over 40 distributors across the Middle East, Levant, and Africa while working with Energizer. Today, she finds herself at Tesla, the automobile industry, focusing on channels like e-commerce and service related parts.

Throughout her diverse career, Shabeena has been no stranger to challenges. She acknowledges that the industry she currently works in is one of the most male dominated sectors, with women making up only 24% of the workforce. Even more concerning is the lack of diversity in leadership, with women occupying a mere 16% to 10% of leadership positions. In many parts of the world, including the Middle East and Asia, it’s common for women to be excluded from roles that involve physically demanding tasks, especially in the automobile sector. 

Working in a male-dominated space, Shabeena frequently encountered biases and stereotypes. For women like her, proving themselves often requires more effort than it does for their male colleagues. "It’s not an easy challenge," she admits. "I did have my pain days, my sulking days. Life has thrown many curveballs, and every day is a struggle. But you learn, you grow, and you push forward." "A woman’s role is often seen differently," Shabeena explains. "Men might have the leverage to focus on work, while women are expected to prioritize family. But I’ve always put my career first. The work environment demands it, and it’s my identity." While the automobile industry still stand highly male dominated, she mentions how at her workplace, she rarely encounters misogyny from her colleagues. She is treated with respect and seriousness for the most part despite certain rare incidents. She credits this to herself, as she says ‘it’s all about how you present yourself’, ‘if you take yourself seriously, and do your job well then you are treated like anyone else’. Over the years, she has constantly sought out opportunities to develop both personally and professionally. She believes that continuous growth and embracing constructive feedback are essential to success, especially in a world that is constantly evolving. "You must be open to learning and be humble," she advises. "The more humble you are, the more information you’ll gain. And don’t be afraid to be assertive when you know your value." She also shares that she has been seeing significant change from how the tech industry used to be when she first joined to it’s state at present. She believes that while change is slow, it’s on the horizon. In Europe, there are already women in parts advisory and service roles, showing that progress is possible. "It will take time, but it’s not impossible. We’re seeing small changes already," she adds. For women looking to enter fields like logistics, distribution, and other traditionally male-dominated sectors, Shabeena’s message is "Don’t sell yourself short". "Project your achievements and don’t shy away from pitching yourself. In this industry, if you don’t speak up, no one will know what you’ve done. Always document your work and your milestones."

SARIKA RANDHIVE

Sarika Randhive aka “Gateway ki Raani” is one of the first female Kaali Peeli drivers in Mumbai. She started driving a cab in 2022, from CST, Mumbai, the place she says taught her what life is. Sarika drives her cab through South Bombay, mostly around the Gateway where she mostly picks up foreign tourists on rides. Due to her witty and friendly demeanour, Sarika has earned quite the fame at the Gateway. Sarika chose the profession due to circumstances at home. She had previously worked as a house help, to sustain her and her family of four. “Women work outside all day and come back and continue working, doing chores at home, they maintain their family and themselves. Women do all of this, then how come men are better than women?”, Sarika asks. She says proudly, there is nothing women cannot do. When asked about her struggles as a female driver, Sarika says how men on the roads can be brutal at times. Once they see that the driver is a woman, they honk at her and even verbally abuse her completely unprovoked. But incidents like these never discouraged her, she drives confidently on the streets of Bombay. As long as she has a positive attitude, and drive safely and responsibly, there is nothing she needs to worry about Sarika says. She quite enjoys her job, having no one to answer to, deciding her own workdays and timings, the pay is also decent she says.

It was a surprise to her husband and children, when she first began driving. She had many people tell her how this is no job for a woman and she should be doing something else. But Sarika was persistent as only she knows her life and thus only she decides how she lives it. She can now afford a better standard of life, for herself and her family. She enjoys the freedom that comes with the job, she enjoys the recognition she gets, she is content with what she does despite the struggles, which is all that matters to Sarika.

SUNITHA SANDEEP RAJPUT

Sunitha Sandeep Rajput works as a Police Inspector at the Mumbai Central Police Station, Mumbai. Much like all our characters Sunitha too had many around her ready to discourage her career as a Police Officer. The ST community that Sunitha belonged to, girls were not allowed education beyond an extent. But Sunitha’s parents had always dreamt of seeing Sunitha in a notable position, whatever it maybe that she wants to do. 

From Science to Arts to IT to even a B.ed degree, Sunitha’s journey to becoming a Police Inspector was long, but certainly worthwhile. She was made aware of the MPSC exam by a friend of hers, after long years of a diverse educational journey. After multiple attempts at the exam, she finally got through and got posted as Police Sub-Inspector. 

Sunitha had no trouble getting through any exams. When asked about why women withhold themselves from professions like this, Sunitha did not have much of an answer, because she could never have been that way. She had always wanted to be in the Police force. Sunitha encourages women everywhere to join the profession. There is no disparity when it comes to selection of candidates, it is merely based on how you perform in the examinations. Even after getting into the profession Sunitha says how she has not much been treated any differently than her male colleagues. What has mattered always is how dedicated and devoted she has been to her profession. At the station, once she is in uniform, the job is all that matters. She says that how you are treated depends completely on you. She says she is quite friendly and professional with all her colleagues, hence their treatment towards her has also been the same. Female officers are sent to duty just as how male officers are, at any time of day. There is no differentiation when it comes to assigning duties. This used to often clash with her work-life balance as she was married.

Sunitha recalls how her job gets pretty hectic when it’s festive season. She will be out in the crowds controlling and regulating them throughout. Sunitha mentions how women often feel more comfortable approaching her with concerns than to a male officer. Due to this reason, she also urges more women to be part of the police force. Sunitha is content about what she does. She says she has not had to go through much hassle during selections or while working. Her profession gives her security and Sunitha is happy.

Women in male-dominated fields are not merely going ‘against the odds’, confined to a shiny phrase, they are striving and struggling in environments that much often do not value the work they do, nor see them for beyond the gender they are. Every woman who challenges the status quo creates a ripple effect, inspiring countless others to step forward, demand their place, and claim their power.

It is not to ignore the changes that are currently happening, but from the experiences of these women and many more, it is apparent that change is real, but it is slow. For a developing country like India, change has potential to be much better and much faster. But it does not happen as this is not change that should merely happen in different job sectors but it is a systemic issue that need uprooting from the far bottom. It has to begin from each person, each home and each society. 

The future is not just about more women entering these fields, it’s about a world where their presence is the norm, not the exception. A world where a woman’s competence is never questioned, where opportunities are not defined by gender. We have come a long way to seeing women in almost every job sector. But what we still lack is quantity and also a comfortable and fair work environment for the women that did manage to break through. Also to mention these women who do break through are also successful home makers, who after long and exhausting work days have to go back home tend to husbands and children. This is still not expected from men in any profession, which is why it will take quite a while before we get to sustainable change and equity.

Unless we come to a point where we no longer need to celebrate women in any professions and it is only just the norm, we have countless examples than just a handful of trailblazers, we have not achieved real change. Real change is, as many say, at the horizon but seems to have got stuck there for a while. There is a systemic change that needs to happen on every layer of society for women to be treated equally. And that will take long and a lot more struggle but staying true to optimism, we celebrate these wonderful four women and many more like them for being intentionally or unintentionally, change makers and let’s hope we do not need any more of ‘change makers’, but more change.

Continue on this journey as Zayyina Hasan delves deeper. 

Podcast with Juhi Sharma

Click Here

Take a look at the video essay

Click Here