Celebrated Ghanaian comedian and actress, Jacinta Asi Ocansey has recently opened up about the challenges she has faced in her career, revealing instances where she was paid less and excluded from shows solely because of her gender.
Shedding light on Gender Pay Gap and Discrimination in showbiz industry, the talented performer shared her experiences, shedding light on the pervasive gender disparities that persist in the comedy industry.
Despite her undeniable talent and a growing fan base, Jacinta has confronted a disheartening reality where gender-based discrimination affects not only her earnings but also her visibility in the comedy scene.
Speaking in an interview with Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z , the stand-up comedian and actress disclosed instances where she received lower pay compared to her male counterparts solely because she is a woman.
According to her, she turned down roles in the past after finding out that her male colleagues were offered quite a higher compensation for the same project.
She detailed by saying; “I mean our industry is so small such that I could pick up my phone and call my colleagues and say ‘Guy how far these people are calling have they called you?
“So what figures are we playing with so that all appear to be on the same page? And then I realized that okay I’m being offered GH¢5 and offering other people GH¢10.”
Jainta further stressed on the fact that she declined offers when she felt undervalued. She went on to detail that it is up to her to bargain for bigger compensation in these situations and quietly turn down offers should they not meet her requirements.
The actresss to a greater extent highlighted some unfair treatment including being denied opportunities with one event organizer citing women as “difficult to manage.”
She stated that it is unfair that women in the industry are being measured not based on their qualifications and abilities but on their gender.
Credit: Ameyaw Debrah
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