About the event:
The Gender Championship Club organized a thought-provoking panel discussion titled "Gender and the Invisible Load: Unpackaging Emotional Labour" on 23rd April 2025 in Audi B-302. This event aimed to bring attention to the often unseen and unrecognized emotional efforts individuals, especially women and marginalized genders, are expected to perform in various aspects of life — from managing relationships to maintaining workplace harmony. Through an engaging conversation led by student leaders and expert faculty members, the panel explored how emotional labour is deeply gendered, how it affects mental health, career growth, and personal well-being, and why it is important to make this invisible work visible.
The discussion was structured to be highly interactive, encouraging students to share their insights, ask questions, and reflect on how societal expectations around emotional support are unequally distributed. The session combined personal storytelling, psychological insights, and practical strategies for building more supportive and equitable spaces in both personal and professional environments.
Objectives of the event:
- To define and explain the concept of emotional labour, particularly in the context of gender roles.
- To raise awareness about the invisible emotional responsibilities often placed on certain individuals and communities.
- To explore the mental, emotional, and professional impact of unacknowledged emotional labour.
- To discuss how gender norms contribute to the unequal distribution of emotional labour at home, in workplaces, and in social settings.
- To encourage students to recognize, acknowledge, and share emotional responsibilities fairly in their own lives.
Introduction:
The Gender Championship Club successfully organized an insightful Panel Discussion titled "Gender and the Invisible Load: Unpackaging Emotional Labour" on 23rd April 2025. The event aimed to shed light on the often-overlooked emotional labor disproportionately carried by different genders, especially women and marginalized communities. It encouraged students to reflect on the hidden expectations society places on individuals to manage emotions, maintain relationships, and perform unseen work at home, in workplaces, and in personal lives. More than 50 students became the part of discussion.
Event Highlights:
- Opening Address: Introduction to the concept of emotional labor and its strong links to gender roles.
- Interactive Discussion: Students shared personal experiences and discussed how emotional labor shows up in daily life — from being expected to "keep peace" in groups to managing others’ emotions silently.
Event Summary -
The event created a meaningful space to explore how gendered expectations around emotional support and caregiving roles contribute to an invisible but exhausting "second shift" for many individuals. Through open conversations, practical examples, and collaborative activities, participants became more aware of the emotional burdens often taken for granted.
The strong participation and heartfelt reflections from the audience demonstrated the urgency of recognizing, valuing, and redistributing emotional labor equitably. The Gender Championship Club closed the session by inviting students to challenge these norms both personally and socially, thus reaffirming its commitment to promoting a more empathetic, just community.