In an exclusive conversation with Firstpost, Aditi Mittal and Christina McGillivray opened up on why this topic is important and how they came so far from Women in Labour season 1 to season 2 and much more.
The two talented and incredible women have come together to make you understand what women go through in their daily workplace. In the most different ways, it has the combination of comedian Aditi Mittal and filmmaker Christina McGillivray, who have done some marvellous work till now and are coming up next with their podcast Women in Labour Season 2. It launched on 19 July 2022. This season has an important question for you all- “How can we emerge from the pandemic without taking a giant step back in women’s ability to participate in the workforce?” This podcast is already out there on Apple Podcast , Spotify, Google Podcast and RRS podcast.
And now, in an exclusive conversation with Firstpost, Aditi Mittal and Christina McGillivray opened up about why this topic is important and how they came so far from Women in Labour Season 1 to Season 2 and much more.
This season has all challenges that women face while entering the workspace so how would describe this theme of the podcast?
Christina: So in season one, what we were really looking at was why women are talking out about the workforce and it was really like an investigation in season one. Each episode was looking at one question of why it might, is it schools, it is public spaces, is it para dynamics in the workforce? You know each episode tackled different subjects, is it mother, is it marriage. We launched Season one and little did we know that in March 2020, we would be hit by the pandemic. Right at the start of the pandemic, we did 20 episodes, really trying to understand why this is happening. Then the pandemic happened and we all know the things got much worse (laughs). Things got infinitely worse and so when we were looking at framing season 2, we thought okay, what we know we know, this is bad, we know that we have come from bad to worse. So Aditi, I and the team sat down and thought how we ask the question. How is it that the Covid-19 pandemic will not be just a huge setback for women in the workforce? And how can we do that and our working theory is that it’s by women helping other women. We can wait for the government and whole system to change but the interim time I think (laughs), you know our theory is if we all help each other out, if we all are in the sweet part of our little corner of the world and take care and help other women around us in our lives, we can bring some change and so was Season 1 is really about what the problem is and in Season 2 we are looking at, okay what can we do about it. What other things we can do about it and this season is kind of structured around more going from external things where Season 1 was external you know there are public spaces, there are schools, there are things like that. Season 2 is really about internal things like choice, do we really have more choices. How can we help each other navigate through these choices, how do we negotiate not just negotiation like how do you negotiate for higher salaries. Also, negotiation within your family, with your partner, with your parents how to like be able to get out of work. So we are looking into those themes. Do you want to add something Aditi?
Aditi: Dude that only I think that this dekho a women work is never done. She will work in the office, then 7 ‘0 clock to 7’0 clock, she will work from home and all in this this sort of para dynaminc, this you know where the world is like this woman has to work 24 hours. Where does she need to, you know do things like negotiate kiachanhithikhai you know what the kids can make their own beds. You know my husband can make his own lunch so that I can get to work on time. You know, being able to negotiate those small things, if your parents are conservative and they are not used to see a woman at workplace, what can you do you know as a individual to array those fears of course, we can’t move ahead alone right, we need our family support, we need our friends support you know, we need the support of the people around us, so how do you co-exist in your personal life with your professional life. I think that’s what we did in this season.
Have you ever faced any challenge while having working in your personal life?
Aditi: Dude, I mean every day right. Our job in comedy clubs, you have to go from like, other shows start at 8 in the evening and end at 10:30 at the night. Coming home is always a problem. I started doing this when there was no other woman. So there was never any like my mother would constantly be calling where are you? Come home, come home safely and don’t bother taking a train take a cab. All that stuff, none of the guys had to do right. With others, you know others feel fair that there is no toilet available for you and you know if you are a woman at workplace, at other places, you are getting paid as much as your colleagues. I can tell you ki jo bhi problem hui hain, humne dekhi hain, humne encounter kari hain. Whenever I have seen my friends working so yaa all these problems I have seen. Specially the one when its coming back home at late night, you know that’s a big one.
Christina: I also have seen these problems along with Aditi and at the same time, the amount of trolling she gets on mine that she has to deal with, it’s women in comedy you know it’s true.
While leading this podcast with Christina MacGillivray, was there mismatching of thoughts while making this podcast?
Aditi: Let me tell you that Christina is more Indian than you and me okay vona 10 saal se India mein reh rahi hai. s As an outsider from 10 years ago, she thinks about, you know living in India or the problems that women face from a like a completely different perspective. Toh actually vo ek fresh perspective bahut hi valuable hai you know.
Christina: Well, the thing is that I moved to India in 2010. You know I have been there, I have really been there and a lot of my work like production work takes me to really remote areas and also to Delhi, so I feel like I have seen a lot and that’s what makes me ask questions but the thing is, it’s not the same, as I am still a foreigner you know, I am still a foreigner in the country and I will always be a foreigner and so you know I think part of what we do in our show is we ask people who really know what they are talking about, like Aditi and my role is to not be their experts. Our role is to ask people who know what they are saying (laughs).
Why do you think that women in labour is an important topic for women’s out there?
Aditi: Let me tell you three reasons why you should give a shit about women at work. One, because you are a woman at work okay you are a woman at work, your mother will be a woman at work, your daughter will be a woman at work, your sister, your husband’s sister, you know, a million women are at work. The more we see each other, there in the workplace, the easier for us. Now, for example now, again I keep coming back to the same example but what if me coming back after the show, if there were five women, we would have taken aram se and come home together right, but if there is just one then there is still a problem and there are parents getting anxious and all that stuff right. If there are more women in the workforce, they are just going to feel safer, we are just gone feel easier. My parents will stop asking and calling. Do you know If we actually include women in the workforce, what is the number ? That the Indian economy can rise upto 27 billion. We are the labour market, you and I are the labour market. Women listening to the podcast will be the labour market and if we harness that power of that labour market, we could have added 27 billion dollars to the Indian economy. So if you don’t want to listen for your self, listen for the nation.
Christina: Well, I think Aditi’s reasons are opening up conversations around these issues, you know like just starting a conversation. We had a recent guest Shreyan Bhattacharya, her episode will be coming up soon and she very wisely said, “If you feel alone, if you feel lonely, if you feel you are lacking confidence and you feel sacred, it’s because what you are doing is nothing short of a revolution.” So I think the more we are able to talk about that and I think a lot of women will feel like they are alone in that, they are doing it alone but I think they are more than that.
Any inspiring women personalities in your life?
Aditi: Christina
Christina: She is trying to be nicest, she is trying to embarrass me. I don’t know if I can tell that. I am turning really red (laughs).
Aditi: No I am telling you it’s Christina only like I will be honest. I feel like meeting Christina has done one of those things for me where it has made me look at the world around me with more depth. I think Christina is one of the women in my life that has really inspired me.
Christina: That’s beyond kind. Oh I miss what you said Aditi.
Aditi: No it was a cheap joke as usual (laughs).
Christina: What I also wanted to say is that Aditi needs to take some serious credit for her incredible role and you should see this girl, she is like she will have these academic tons of books which she is reading and she will come with some highlight notes what she read on page number 287(laughs).
Aditi: ButI learned that from you, I have learned that from you only. What else to say.
Christina: And here is the thing, when we were thinking about this topic, you know as soon as you say that women in labour participation rights, everybody falls a sleep and it’s like Aditi’s joy, light and brilliance that helps us to open that conversation beyond these closed sort of discussions.
Aditi: Rula diya tune rula diya (laughs).
Read all the Latest News, Trending News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.