Mumbai: Philanthropist Melinda French Gates in an interview with Vanity Fair shared how she faced sexism while working with Bill Gates. She revealed that, in 25 years of their philanthropy, almost everyone would look to her ex-husband and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates first, assuming she knew less.
“If I went into a president or prime minister’s office and I was with my ex-husband, they could have just kept going for the whole meeting. I get that he was well-known and did great things in the tech industry, but why would they assume I knew less than him about philanthropy when we had been doing it together for almost 25 years? Why make that false assumption? That, really, was sexism.”
Melinda French Gates tried to overcome the situation by speaking first in the meetings, ensuring she is heard, she revealed.
“I have been in situations in the last year where speakers will go to answer a question. Maybe there’s both men and women who want to answer, and for whatever reason the man gets in there first,” she shared.
She claimed that she feels ever more energised and excited about her work ahead.
“I feel extraordinarily energised about the work ahead. It feels like now is the right time. I never realised that going into my sixth decade, turning 60, could be so exciting. Now I’m the sole decision-maker about these resources. So that’s just—it’s different than before. Quite honestly, it feels quite good. When I get a meeting now, I know it’s because of me,” she said.