The growing tribe of women traders
Mohammed Shaheen
20-12-2021
To this day, trading remains a phenomenon that does not cease to rouse hesitation and apprehension among the risk-averse public even when approached with the possibility of boosting their finances. Add to this — a predominantly male-dominated field — the prospect of women picking up the reigns of the stock market.
While women in trading may have seemed like an unusual idea, in the beginning, the number of female traders joining the field is on the rise thanks to women empowerment and the implementation of resulting corporate gender diversity and inclusion initiatives. Such a development is helping to break stereotypes, paving the way for women to be viewed more as equals than as mere tokens.
Women as part-time day traders
While many people have taken up trading as a full-time profession, a good portion of them prefer to work as part-time traders. Women are no different with most of them choosing to work part-time as day traders. Trading affords people the flexibility and ease that are normally missing in corporate jobs, making it a more feasible and convenient way of supplementing their income. Part-time trading has proven to be a fruitful venture for women seeking suitable side gig options to balance their responsibilities both within and beyond their normal day jobs.
Full-time homemakers as traders
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed a surge in the number of people entering the stock market. Out of them, homemakers, especially women in Japan popularly known as “Japanese Housewives” have gained prominence for becoming an increasingly popular presence in the trading sphere. Although preconceived notions and other misgivings have prevented people from engaging in trading, more and more homemakers are venturing into the realm of the stock market.
Notable Women in the forex trading market
From “Japanese Housewives” to acclaimed contemporary and veteran female traders, women are footing their mark in the stock market. Geraldine Weiss, Kathy Lien, Mellody Hobson, Lubna Olayan, and Sonal Desai are some key figures in the trade market who have left — and are still leaving — crushed gendered stereotypes in their wake.
Although the number of women in trading continues to climb, the gender disparity is still too wide with the percentage of women amounting to 16.1 to male traders who occupy 76.6% of the trader population. The stock market is also not immune to the pervasive issue of the gender pay gap with women making 91 cents for every dollar earned by men. However, the present situation, as fueled by the pandemic, coupled with expert predictions have projected a more optimistic view for women in trading.
