Missing in Action

A recent news item bemoans the lack of women in the listing of the world's top 15 corporate leaders. Why the surprise? Are corporate women any more missing in action than women musicians, scientists or artists? Each field has several token female representatives but it is largely a man's world out there.
As per a study, only 3% of "the most illustrious figures of history" have been women.And many of these females entered the records in part by birthright or marriage. In science, less than 1 per cent of those who gained eminence were women.
Names like Marie Curie and Barbara McClintock are but drops in a sea of male scientists. Music also suffers from a lack of women. For every slightly famous woman composer there are dozens of more famous men.
Nor have there been any supremely great women artists. There are no female equivalents for Michelangelo or Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso or Matisse, or even Andy Warhol.
The explanation for this distressing social phenomenon is not very far. In fact, come home with me this minute and I'll show you. It goes like this: Our family driver is miffed.
Can't go grocery shopping at such short notice, there is the carpool duty to be done first. But the housekeeper is insistent ��� she needs something otherwise the cook can't get the lunch done on time.
The children's nanny is having an emotional outburst. And as for the lady of the house she is trying hard to distance herself from this commotion ��� she fancies herself a writer and needs her space. And before you conclude that I'm the latest Page 3 diva in search of a creative makeover, perish the thought.
Just your average modern woman playing multiple roles in a world of multiplying demands and a scam called multitasking. The truth of the matter is this: As long as the world continues to applaud women for their multitasking abilities don't expect chartbusting performances in other fields.
There is a simple choice to be made between multitasking and excellence. Women must get rid of the If-I-haven't-dusted-the-furniture-and-made-the-beds-do-I-have-the-right-to-begin-carving? syndrome if they wish to stand up and be counted.