The Hands of Janet

Have you ever encountered a situation where your parents refuse to buy you a particular toy because they believe it is inappropriate for you because of your gender? Well in the country where I currently reside, Ghana, women still face disadvantages, when it comes to jobs that are seen as being inappropriate for them because of their gender and this continues to widen the inequality gap. Meet Janet, a young adult, who has been a barber for more than ten years in the heart of Accra, Ghana specifically Lapaz. She works as a barber in a male-dominated informal industry. "Being a barber was a decision I took a long time ago and my passion for barbering keeps me going", she said. She faces a lot of discrimination she shared and mentioned that even if she is the only person available, many guys who visit the shop will choose to have their hair cut done by a male. The good thing is she does not let it get to her and is unconcerned about it. She smiles amidst saying "I know that someday, all jobs in this community would be known for both genders and not targeted towards a gender" Janet is standing firm, resisting bias, and wants to live to see an equitable world! -Ghana June 2022-