Sexism exists everywhere, and it always will, because the genders are different and those differences affect how genders think and act towards each other.
3 RESPONSES TO "SEXIST BEHAVIOR: HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO STAY AND WHEN TO LEAVE"
Charla
I find this post naive.
We are not living in a Candyland world where the majority of women can strike out on her own and manifest a successful company to comfortably sustain her lifestyle and retirement fund. Most women-owned businesses wind up netting far less than $1 million a year. Oh, and another reason this happens...male-dominated VC firms and angel investors who defer to sexism too.
Another thing - when women match the male style in the meeting room, e.g. speaking louder and interrupting like the others might. Trust me, it is not always well-perceived by the guys you are trying to mimic, because you are deviating from their perception of how women should act.
May 13, 2008 10:53 am
Rose
As an older woman, I had hoped our sex would step up to the plate, manage to be strong yet keep a female identity, while never compromising that sexism is wrong wrong wrong and needs to be brought to a halt. The sexes can be different from each other without disrespecting one another. To say that sexism will always exist because men and women are different displays not only a hopelessness about the future but is a fatal mistake in attitude.
We do not create change by accepting the uneven status quo, making excuse for it, and changing our own behavior to accommodate it.
I am surrounded by men who respect my opinion, seek my advice and generally accept me as one of their own -- that being the human race, or maybe just intelligent, enlightened people. These men -- and women who are like them -- get my respect, kindness, etc, in return. Not as equally, there are those (men and women) out there who dismiss me from prejudice because I am a woman. It is they who do not get my respect and who get ignored when they speak and whose interests are of no interest to me.
You see, I like sports too. But I like sports because I like them, not because I want to be a member of someone else's club.
Rose, it's important in both career and life to learn to get along with everyone. Not like the person, or respect them, but be able to work with them.
The way to do this is find common ground. I can't change people who are sexist; and some of them aren't even trying to be. What I can change is how I handle them and earn their respect, despite being a woman. Dismissing someone who is treating me poorly as a woman still doesn't get me anywhere, especially if that person is higher up in the company than me.
3 RESPONSES TO "SEXIST BEHAVIOR: HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO STAY AND WHEN TO LEAVE"
I find this post naive.
We are not living in a Candyland world where the majority of women can strike out on her own and manifest a successful company to comfortably sustain her lifestyle and retirement fund. Most women-owned businesses wind up netting far less than $1 million a year. Oh, and another reason this happens...male-dominated VC firms and angel investors who defer to sexism too.
Another thing - when women match the male style in the meeting room, e.g. speaking louder and interrupting like the others might. Trust me, it is not always well-perceived by the guys you are trying to mimic, because you are deviating from their perception of how women should act.
As an older woman, I had hoped our sex would step up to the plate, manage to be strong yet keep a female identity, while never compromising that sexism is wrong wrong wrong and needs to be brought to a halt. The sexes can be different from each other without disrespecting one another. To say that sexism will always exist because men and women are different displays not only a hopelessness about the future but is a fatal mistake in attitude.
We do not create change by accepting the uneven status quo, making excuse for it, and changing our own behavior to accommodate it.
I am surrounded by men who respect my opinion, seek my advice and generally accept me as one of their own -- that being the human race, or maybe just intelligent, enlightened people. These men -- and women who are like them -- get my respect, kindness, etc, in return. Not as equally, there are those (men and women) out there who dismiss me from prejudice because I am a woman. It is they who do not get my respect and who get ignored when they speak and whose interests are of no interest to me.
You see, I like sports too. But I like sports because I like them, not because I want to be a member of someone else's club.
Rose, it's important in both career and life to learn to get along with everyone. Not like the person, or respect them, but be able to work with them.
The way to do this is find common ground. I can't change people who are sexist; and some of them aren't even trying to be. What I can change is how I handle them and earn their respect, despite being a woman. Dismissing someone who is treating me poorly as a woman still doesn't get me anywhere, especially if that person is higher up in the company than me.
And I like sports too. Go Cardinals =D
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