chargirlgenius (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chargirlgenius) wrote2008-09-05 12:39 pm
chargirlgenius) wrote2008-09-05 12:39 pm
A Sexism Post that’s NOT About Sarah Palin
If you think that sexism is dead in America, I’d like to tell you what I heard yesterday. I was sitting, working in a coffeeshop, and there were a couple of guys at the next table. The one was pitching to another an idea for event planning, telling him all of the services that they were going to provide. I was mildly amused, because the younger guy (the pitcher) was very enthusiastic, but the older fellow (the pitchee) was largely silent, and his body language made him look like he wanted to escape the conversation. Because of my amusement, I sat with my iPod headphones in, but the music turned off. (Ues, I’m bad).
As the younger guy is explaining how the day goes, he says, “And we’re going to have an attractive female at the door greeting attendees…”
I’m 95% certain that’s what he said. Had I been 100% I likely would have said something, but even with my iPod phones in, I don’t really doubt that he would have said that.
Not that it’s a surprise, but yes, female looks ARE more important than brains in getting some jobs in corporate America*. Lest I ever feel too confident in how far society has come, I’m quickly reminded how far we have yet to go.
(*I completely understand that for many jobs, a well-groomed appearance is a must, but I consider good grooming something that anybody can do, rather than inherently being “an attractive female.”)
As the younger guy is explaining how the day goes, he says, “And we’re going to have an attractive female at the door greeting attendees…”
I’m 95% certain that’s what he said. Had I been 100% I likely would have said something, but even with my iPod phones in, I don’t really doubt that he would have said that.
Not that it’s a surprise, but yes, female looks ARE more important than brains in getting some jobs in corporate America*. Lest I ever feel too confident in how far society has come, I’m quickly reminded how far we have yet to go.
(*I completely understand that for many jobs, a well-groomed appearance is a must, but I consider good grooming something that anybody can do, rather than inherently being “an attractive female.”)
no subject
I'm a process engineer. And every time I go to any form of trade show, I'm routinely mistaken for "support staff"... as I get older it's rarer that I'm mistaken for a booth babe, now it's "Are you one of the wives? Are you lost?" But it's the whole "We're at a trade show so obviously women are here for our amusement... engineer? what? That can't be right..."
The ratio of women engineers to men is generally about 75 to 1 in my industry.
Didn't even put my finger on it or think about it until now.
No, I'm not one of the booth babes and I'm not one of the wives. Now get over your shock and explain your fucking product to me...
*sigh*
no subject
It's interesting and sad.