03/22/2021    Jenneffer Pulapaka, DPM

TN Podiatrist Discusses Challenges of Being a Woman in a Man's World (Michael J. Schneider, DPM)

For many women, it is simple. We are fed up.
Sadly, our country has reached a level of
violence and threats that include hate crimes
towards women, against our friends, and
ourselves. People now openly shoot women,
threaten to beat women over customer service
dilemmas, or verbally assault female medical team
members. It has reached a level where
oppositional critics rally for aggression while
dismissing the request for assistance in
preventing further violence.

Patient-perpetrated sexual harassment needs to be
reported by physicians. Unfortunately, I'm not
alone; many women are faced with inappropriate
behavior, advances, or even harassment from their
patients. Being friendly and welcoming is an
expectation when we work in patient care, but
that doesn't mean we should be expected to
quietly welcome and happily endure harassment,
sexual innuendos, or sexual advances. We are
friendly and caring because it's literally our
job.

The current public attitude is, "that's your
problem" or “he said-she said." Instilling
violence against women in our community is not
productive, and using social media posts to
inflame a derogatory & savage retaliation is
vulgar.

Now we are mad, fed up, screaming "me too," your
"times up." It is that simple. As a
businesswoman, I seek out and maintain
sustainable practices in the multiple businesses
I run. Sustainability rests on the principle that
we must meet the needs of the present without
compromising the abilities or opportunities of
future generations. Therefore, if we are given a
chance to influence other people, we should not
influence their hate, jealousy, or anger.

We need to get back up and push ourselves, push
our pain to where we need to be. Our pain will
move us from where we are today to where we want
to be in the future. Women & Men, you can't
relax; you must get up and decide how you are
going to fix it. We need to teach valuable skills
and life-long lessons emphasizing that Women's
Rights are invaluable to our society. Teach young
girls that poise and grace can exist with grit
and passion. Because this is a long hard fight,
do you have the skill and determination to stay
in the game? I do; challenge me, be stronger than
me, make us all reach towards a better future for
women and equality in our society.

I'm fed up.

Jenneffer Pulapaka, DPM, Deland, FL

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