The Persona Non Grata

By: Sofia Anreana Francesca G. Valera

Women in the legal profession are portrayed as Wonder Women, Ladies of Steely Disposition, and Champions of Change. But despite these exceptional titles, society still only accepts women in the legal profession that are traditionally subservient cogs in the machine to the people ranked above them. 

In any workplace, talent and work ethic will get your foot in the door but society has repeatedly shown us that it is conformity to the norms of said workplace and an unquestioning, cheery “happy to serve” disposition regardless of the sexist remarks and unequal treatment to that of a male counterpart that will get you far. 

Time and again, it is the Renfields who are able to stomach their discomfort and swallow their valid opinions in order to appease their Draculas, that will lick their master’s boot and keep their lives. These are the sheep that follow their shepherd blindly off a cliff.

In this gloom and doom, how are the valid opinions of the disagreeable ones heard? With their eccentric tone of voice and expressive faces, how do they call for others to finally listen to their solutions if not for a sheep who wakes up one day, realizing that in their echo chambers, they throw praises at each other more than they resolve actual problems, and finally decide that this was the moment they set aside their character assassination of the disagreeable one in order to get the job done. 

The sheep is not wrong for following the shepherd the same way the disagreeable one is not always correct. One is no better than the other as they are both mere slaves to the bigger picture. If we are bound to a master and set in our roles, we can at least lessen the suffering and listen to the other. 

In a world where women require a platform to enact permanent change in legislation and societal views, the only ones who achieve it are people who truly listen beyond physical features and quirks and understand that personality is the least of anyone’s concern when there are injustices afoot.

At the world’s end, we are an amalgamation of humanity, men and women equal, and suffer the consequences of our collective actions and because inclusivity costs nothing, we should not cower when facing the idiosyncrasies or femininity of others nor expel them from the community, but rather celebrate them and use these collective talents to advance the legal profession.