Tough, but not rough
Career women emerge in male-dominated fields
by Wylie Yeo
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one of these three women have joined any feminist groups. Nor do they advocate “sexual equality” all the time. Nevertheless, they advance their careers with flying colors in male-dominated society.
Miss Chang Mei Tack, 28, is one of only six horse racing reporters in Hong Kong.
Having been a tutor in the Department of Philosophy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong for several years, she wanted a breakthrough in her tranquil career life. She therefore devoted herself to an entirely different field — reporting sports news in Hong Kong Daily News and horse racing news in Apple Daily.
“A hundred years ago, horse racing was a sport for men. Evolving into gambling, it had even become a taboo for women to discuss. Nevertheless, I see no reason why women should be excluded from this field,” said Miss Chang.
When Miss Chang was a child, she usually accompanied her father to watch horse races. Fascinated by the large bets and the fine figures of horses, she developed great interest in this sport. Though participating in a career dominated by men, Miss Chang said she has not been rejected by her male colleagues.
“Nonetheless, women take more time to break the ice with others. Though I chat about everything with my working partners now, we pretended to be gentle and polite to one another at the beginning,” said Miss Chang.
Instead of sexual discrimination, Miss Chang said the most unbearable part of the job is to wake up early.
During the horse racing season, Miss Chang gets up at 5 a.m. every morning and stands by at the Sha Tin racecourse. Watching the morning exercise of horses enables her to get the hottest racing news and to observe the conditions of horses each day.
Yet, Miss Chang is not the only female trying to work in a male-dominated field. Miss To Mei Ying, 38, has been a bus driver for the Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited for three years.
Traditionally, the heroes on the roads have been men only. As time passes, it becomes more common to have female bus-drivers.
Said Miss To: “The traditional buses, with their heavy steering wheels and poor ventilation inside, were physically too demanding for women to drive.”
Miss To said when air-conditioned single-decks were introduced on roads six years ago, KMB started employing female bus-drivers.
“I don’t think women have any privilege when driving on roads. Others do not make ways for you just because you are a woman,” said Miss To.
As a housewife and bus-driver at the same time, Miss To has to manage her time carefully.
Said Miss To: “Everyday, I buy food and daily necessities during lunch time. At night, I prepare simple but delicious meals which can be reheated by my child easily.
“Nobody can do these things for me. My husband also has to work the whole day, ” said Miss To.
Like Miss To, Mrs. Jennifer Wong, the only Chinese female partner of the KPMG Peat Marwick Certified Public Accountants, also has to maintain a balance between her career and family.
The company she is working for is one of the “Big Six” international accounting firms. Her case proves that women can have a leading role in the administrative level in modern days.
Said Mrs. Wong: “Men and women cannot be equal. For a woman to climb higher, she must make double-efforts.
“When I was pregnant, my boss suspected whether I would be as hardworking as before. Women are stereotyped as housewives only,” said Mrs. Wong.
Though working for more than eight hours each day and sacrificing all her leisure time, she never regrets forming her own family.
Said she: “Getting married is a natural stage for women. My seven-year-old daughter is my emotional support. I turn to her when I feel tired.”
