Exclusive: "I was never meant to fit in; I was always meant to stand out," says Priyanka Chaturvedi on being a woman in politics

Back in 2010 against all odds Priyanka Chaturvedi entered the world of politics Then a young woman with no financial backing or political background today she stands as a Member of Parliament and the fierce spokesperson for Shiv Sena UBTAs the election season arrives in Mumbai in full swing and the air is buzzing with all things politics Priyanka Chaturvedi spoke to MidDay about her journey as a woman in politics the challenges of being in this maledominated sphere and manoeuvring her way through it all to be where she is todayQ What made you enter politicsPriyanka Chaturvedi It was the 2611 terror attacks I was born and brought up in Mumbai and seeing my city ravaged by a terrorist attack I realized we needed to regroup regather and reenergize to build a resilient and safe city Every members contribution was importantI started by supporting a few people along with women bloggers helping some families I understood that as citizens we have a responsibility towards our immediate societies cities and statesmdashthat is how the journey beganFrom there I moved forward I learned how I could impact policies and how I could participate in politicsAround the same time Mr Rahul Gandhi started the idea of bringing in people from nonpolitical backgrounds to break down those barriers that exist in our mind that only those who come from political families or those who have that backing who have a mentor those who are connected politically would be able to make itHe started that procedure which I used then and that became an instrument for who I am todayQ Do you feel it is easy for a young woman to enter into politics now the way you did with no financial assistance or political background and make a markPriyanka Chaturvedi I think today political parties are more receptive to the idea of women entering politics for two reasons First women have emerged as thought leaders and vote in larger numbers compared to men They decide for themselves who they wish to vote for uninfluenced by family or surrounding noise What matters to them is how policies impact their lives their families and their communitiesSecond the idea of having more women representation in parliament and assemblies is growing Although the act has been passed it will only be implemented much later giving political parties the capacity to absorb more women The same parties that created barriers for women are now having to grudgingly make space for themFor any young woman who wishes to contribute to policy and politics therersquos no better time than now to be part of this changemaking processQ What did your family think when you joined politics especially considering the difference of opinion with your inlaws being proBJP and you joining CongressPriyanka Chaturvedi So when I became the national media panellist for Congress there were many questions in their mindsThe biggest factor that made them question my choice was the perception of women in politics Women are often seen in a negative light portrayed as evil villainous or needing mentor support or compromising to succeed This misconception is one of the biggest setbacks women face when entering politics My family felt it wasnrsquot the best place for me worrying it wasnrsquot safe and fearing I would never be acknowledgedSecondly there was the issue of my political party choice We had many arguments and disagreements but eventually we reached a conclusion ldquoOkay you have your ideas I have mine Letrsquos not mix the family relationshiprdquoMy family is an important part of who I am so even if they say something I totally disagree with I do not counter them simply because it creates unnecessary friction I continue to do what I have to doQ Do you think your journey would have been less pressurising if you were a male politicianPriyanka Chaturvedi Throughout my career I have felt motherhood guilt Itrsquos different for a man They donrsquot have those guilt pangs They might miss the family but they donrsquot live with the guilt that a mother lives with in terms of getting space and breaking down barriersMen can network during nonoffice hours late at night etc which are some of the handicaps we women face Often families live together while constituencies are away from the city Itrsquos much quicker for a male politician who is in charge of the family to decide to move the family to the constituency than it is for a woman politician A woman thinks through everything before making a decision taking the plunge or committing herself to something like thisQ Do you feel that being a woman you have felt invisible or not acknowledged enough despite your accomplishmentsPriyanka Chaturvedi It has occurred several times especially within political parties Women have often been marginalised in policy spaces relating to tech fintech and climate change This makes it challenging for their opinions to be acknowledgedAt times women are silenced or dismissed due to the perception that their views are too feminine There is a lack of recognition that women can also hold valid opinions Many conversations end with women feeling ignored or believing they lack sufficient informationAs I approach my fifties I realise that I was never meant to blend in but to stand out Despite potential criticism or ridicule I will continue to express my opinions confidently Laugh mock or disagree with them but I will always have a voiceQ Does sexism exist across Indian politics or does it depend on a particular partyPriyanka Chaturvedi I believe sexism permeates politics globally particularly affecting women Our society remains deeply patriarchal Despite the progressive vision of our Constitutionrsquos framers granting women equal rights without quotas or reservations today 70 years later wersquove had to implement quotas due to our failure to achieve that visionSexism persists in various guises Women are often perceived as political lightweights lacking agency However I refuse to be treated as a doormat I entered politics by choice and will assert my voiceTherersquos a noticeable shift in how men interact with women in these spaces Women are no longer passive victims abla naris theyrsquore actively asserting their voices and fighting for their rightsQ In a room full of women politicians are they women to each other first or are they politicians to each other firstPriyanka Chaturvedi Id be lying if I said that we are women firstWhen I first got a chance from my party to be a part of the Rajya Sabha I was super excited about the idea that we would build a caucus of women MPs and well keep the talk of gender justice first and then the rest your political parties and your political barriersWhen I went excitedly to other MPs telling them about this idea they were not really receptive to the idea and that idea died its own death simply because we as women politicians have reduced ourselves to our spaces our political parties our political agenda and nothing beyond to ensure gender justiceWhen our SDG goals are dependent on womens empowerment and on how women are being brought into the system then we are doing a huge injustice to have political appointees in gender welfare organisations who take a stance depending on the political party involvedQ Finally what would you like to say to all the women reading thisPriyanka Chaturvedi Unless women advocate for a larger portion of the pie instead of merely contending within the currently allocated share we wont create room for more women We must expand the pie aiming beyond the current 33 per cent reservation Lets strive for 50 per cent representation reflecting our 50 per cent share of the populationWatch the full interview on YouTube