There's a very interesting conversation happening at Pandagon about women in upper management/top of their profession positions. The discussion started around Tina Fey, the first female head writer for SNL who recently chose Amy Poehler to be her co-anchor for Weekend Update.
The thought is this--tokenism can be appealing. Being the only woman in a "boys only" club can give you a feeling of specialness, importance, being the "honorary man" if you will. It can be hard to give up that position and pull up other women with you. The fact is, no matter how "in" the club you are, you're still just the girl. Aren't we better off if we continue to pull other women up with us so that more of the decisionmakers around the table look or think more similarly than we do?
The discussion also goes on to how we all need mentors in the workplace. Men are great at mentoring each other, but a man who tries to mentor a young woman is often seen as pursuing a sexual relationship with her. Most brutal to the young woman being mentored by a man are often her female coworkers, suggesting things like she "slept her way into a promotion." Women need to seek out young women and mentor them, and also be respectful of young women who are being mentored by men instead of relegating them to sexual climbers.
We certainly can be each other's worst enemies. As a young professional, one of my most rewarding experiences has been pulling other young women up with me. At the same time, I have been a young woman in the "boys club" which can be alluring. I think we all could learn a lesson or two about oversexualizing women, especially young single women, in the workplace. It's hard enough to gain the respect of our older counterparts without having to go out of your way to make sure your actions aren't misconstrued as using sexuality to get jobs, promotions, etc.
And I'm talking about both men and women.
Thoughts?
I could write about this for days.......
4 comments:
Maybe it's because I work in healthcare, but all my bosses have been women and I love it! Each has been an amazing mentor and friend. A good mentor makes all the difference.
I work in the GOBC like no other - biologists and wardens have traditionally been men, and continue to be men, unfortunately. Because the foundation of the Dept. is comprised of men, the management mirrors that picture. Consequently, I struggle to be heard on a daily - maybe now it's on a monthly basis. Where a man could have come into this position and gained immediate respect as a lawyer, I came into this position and had to prove myself. I've had to work twice, maybe three times as hard as any young man in my position. Not only am I a woman, I'm a young woman and that is a recipe for disaster for being respected in the legal field. Luckily for me, my boss is supportive and sometimes points out the macho bias before I do. So, because I've worked this hard to get where I am, I understand the "fend for yourself" attitude in this GOBC. I struggle to support and champion other young women professionals to make the plunge into the GOBC without hesitation because 1. I know what they're up against; and 2. I hate to think that someone will be able to get further than I have because I've made it easier for them. I know this is exactly the mentality you speak of when you say, "We are our own worst enemies." But as much as I've struggled with that, I also know that women all have a responsibility to support each other and be a mentor to others (man and women) along the way. I had a mentor through law school and continue to have mentors in my other young female lawyer friends that keep on keepin' on. I just remind myself on a regular (maybe monthly now instead of daily basis) that with the realization that the more progress we make to dismantle the GOBC, the better opportunities we'll have for ourselves. We can all be better off in the long run. Thank you for the opportunity to be reminded again.
I work in a male dominated field. Most of my mentors have been men. I have been very fortunate with some of the men I have worked for, they have taught me so much and treated me with respect. I hope that I am not alone, I hope that this is the case for many other women.
Last year, I participated in an event that honored three people who mentored and helped women advance in their professional careers. I have never felt so rewarded in my life than I did while listening to all of the speakers talk about how important it is to advance women professionally. They are out there, they are doing good and hopefully some day we can all return the favor.
I have had a mix. In the non-profit world, I have met a lot of women that have helped to mentor me, but in the political world....it is very much a good old boys club. And frankly, it's starting to gross me out.
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