From left, Veena Merchant, editor-in-chief of News India-Times and Capitol Debates’ Host; Shivani Nath, psychologist in private practice; Anshu Arora, information technology auditor; and Krystle Kaul, ‘Washington Leadership Program’ Intern Class of 2004, who interned with Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA). (Photo: Courtesy, TV Asia)

VEENA MERCHANT:I would like to start with you Shivani. Is there a gender gap existing or is it in my mind?

SHIVANI NATH: Absolutely. There is a huge gender gap still existing in today’s society. Interestingly, I had a conversation with a female friend of mine who is also a psychologist a couple of days ago and she said ‘well, you know what no matter what we do, it is still a man’s world.’

In that sense can I read you a headline from The New York Times? This was last month I believe: ‘Real men don’t clean bathrooms. Do real women run for political offices?’

You know what they better do.

MERCHANT: Do you think it will make a difference if there were more women politicians? Would there be policy issues that would take care of us more?

NATH: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think that is one of the biggest needs to have more women participating in public policy making and politics.

MERCHANT: Where it really hurts is I think, although they are giving us a better picture now but better is not the best. It says working women now earn just over 80 percent of what men do, up from 62 percent 25 years ago and this is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now what I would like to know is why do we earn less? Anyone can take this question.

ANSHU ARORA: It is an interesting question. I have been working in the corporate world for about six years now and I am proud to work for a firm which is always rated in the top 100 companies to work for working women and mothers.

I really do feel that at the top level there may be some discrimination based on gender, in the sense that partners in the firm tend to be more men than women but the firm has really begun promoting women leaders in the sense that women are being encouraged to stay even after they become mothers and they start a family. It’s interesting but I do feel that sometimes 80 percent is good but I would like to see that go right up to 100 percent.

MERCHANT: But my question is why 80 percent? Is it that they are not as bright as they are efficient? Why should we earn even 1 percent less?

KRYSTLE KAUL: I think the society is like that. If you look at politics as well, the Congress is composed of only 14 percent women.

MERCHANT: Precisely.

KAUL: Being a young female entering politics it is challenging because you still have this glass ceiling not only in business –– not only in terms of salary –– but also in the field of politics as well.

MERCHANT: Now talk a little more about the field of politics since you were WLP intern and you have just experienced it and you are an aspiring. Are you going to run for political office?

KAUL: I am not sure at this point.

MERCHANT: But at least you have an interest.

KAUL: I do have an interest.

MERCHANT: So tell me where exactly did you see the glass ceiling? What happened? Can you go blow-by-blow and give it to us? But Krystle is it because they don’t run or is it because there is a glass ceiling?

KAUL:I interned on Capitol Hill last summer in a Congressional office –– Marty Meehan (D-MA). I think it is a combination of both. I think women themselves need to. I mean they need to have incentive to run. You need more women to run to break from the tradition.

MERCHANT: When you say incentives, what kind of incentives do women need?

KAUL:I think it starts at the base of family structure. I mean parents need to encourage their daughters to run for office. Until the mentality of the society changes I don’t think you will see too many women in politics.

MERCHANT: Shivani, it is not really an Indian American issue, it is an issue that runs across the board. Can you reply to her why this happens?

NATH: I think you made a very good point that it starts at the family traditions. But at the same time it gets perpetuated to the upcoming generations.

When a girl is born she is encouraged to get into nurturing profession professions. Girls were told to become nurses, teachers and nowadays doctors. You will seldom hear parents say you know what I want my daughter to be a politician. It doesn’t happen at all.

MERCHANT: But Shivani, being a psychologist, tell me if I am a mom and I have suffered myself, the gender gap I am talking about, why would I not want my child, my girl child to be a politician, to be a policy maker, and change the world? Why would I stop her from being that?

NATH:I think it is the inherent apprehension. And again it is the stereotype that gets perpetuated time and time again in that moms always, in my experience, they want to make sure that daughters who are going to get married have a nice family.

MERCHANT: Something makes them do it. Is it peer pressure? What do you think? How do you feel at work? If you don’t get the same salary do you get upset?

ARORA: Of course.

MERCHANT: If you get upset, what do you do about it?

NATH:I don’t think it is fair and I don’t know how to actually change that but I feel companies are changing and are more aware of the issue, and like you said, it has gone up from 60 to 80 percent. And I feel the upward trend should continue, and it will.

KAUL: In terms of the gender gap, I think it is the mindset.

MERCHANT: Whose mindsets are we talking about…men or women?

KAUL: I think both, especially the Indian men in general... the older generation.

MERCHANT: But we are talking about the Congress and the U.S., and it is not Indian men?

KAUL: But as I was talking about how it starts at the basic family structure when you are growing up in the society and you are young Indian female, for example, you don’t receive, at least I feel, any encouragement or support to enter politics. Medical school is fine, law school... or go to medical school and then get married. Politics is something that is sort of unheard of.

MERCHANT: What kind of expectations, for example, your mom has if you run for political office? Why wouldn’t she encourage you? Is it because of the salary? Or is it because you wouldn’t spend enough time with children?

KAUL: I think it is a combination because it will conflict with marriage in terms of, if you are ambitious and need to pursue your career... you need to get married in your 20s...

MERCHANT:You mean to say a man will not be able to handle your ambition... he can handle his own ambition but he cannot handle your ambition.. that makes sense.

ARORA: Same thing. Growing up my parents were pretty okay with whatever career I chose and politics was not even part of the discussion. It was doctor, engineer... you want to do an MBA, you want to study abroad... all sorts of things, and politics was never an option.

(Transcribed by Bhavna Kaul)