Funnycontrol | On International Women's Day 2023, a look at gender parity in unusual places

Over the years, Women’s Day has been a great source of inspiration for this writer. Mainly when he is asked by companies to perform stand-up comedy on Women’s Day for a women-only audience. (Image: Somben Chea/Pexels)

International Women’s Day is often known as IWD not to be mistaken with WMD. I asked the editor if I could use pink font to write this article, but it was declined due to budgetary reasons. So I am wearing pink chappals while typing this and hope it counts. Hershey’s the candy maker has recently launched a women’s day campaign featuring a trans woman which has the internet up in storm. Some have argued that it’s a man dressed as a woman thus insulting the very notion of women’s day. Others argue that this argument is transphobic. In this whole mess, the poor chocolate itself has been left without any media coverage. If no one wants it, I am happy to take it off their hands for Valentine’s Day next year.

But no discussion of Women’s Day can be complete without covering some of our illustrious women business leaders who in recent times have also been the source of many illustrious memes.

Take the case of Chanda Choker. Perhaps she took the ad slogan of “bada hai toh behtar hai” a little too seriously and applied it to the hole in their balance sheet as well. Ironically the brand ambassador for that campaign was Ricky Ponting who was called punter by his own teammates during his playing days. Then we have Nahin Na Lal Kid Wahi who resigned from Alt-ego Capital after the famed NBFC backed by marquee names defaulted on an interest payment. Whenever questioned about it at various forums, she cites the achievements in Diversity & Inclusion at the firm during her tenure. “We ensured that all the stakeholders suffered equally in the default furthering our goals of Equity. I put the E in DE&I”.

But in these times of global investing, why stick only to India? In 2004, the famed Martha Stewart was arrested for felony charges of insider trading in the failed biotech company Imclone’s stock in 2001. Remember, 2001 was the time when adding dot-com to your name could get you a billion-dollar valuation even if your name was Vladmir Putin. In a true inspiration for women worldwide, Martha Stewart’s empire grew even bigger after being released from prison. She starred in the Martha Stewart Show and even launched a podcast in the recent past thus indicating how she was two decades ahead on the shock influencer economy.

Then we have Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos who promised investors a path-breaking diagnostic solution with just a pin prick. Eventually it was the bubble of the $7 billion valuation that was pricked and the blood of the investors was on the streets. Recently she petitioned the court to delay the start of her 11-year prison sentence as she has two children to take care of. Thus showing us how to ask for work-life balance in prison.

But perhaps the biggest inspiration of all has been the former CEO of the National Spiritual Exchange of India, who was recently exonerated of all charges in the true spirit of Slyversity & Delusion.

Over the years Women’s Day has been a great source of inspiration for me. Mainly when I am asked by companies to perform stand-up comedy on Women’s Day for a women-only audience.  On one occasion, a male HR tried enforcing the same rules for men’s day with a men-only audience. I told him then no one will turn up. Because Diversity & Inclusion does not always play out equally.

Wishing all my readers a Happy Women’s Day whether you are women or from Hershey's.