OK, so I'm not going to sugarcoat it, this is a "man's world". Not that men are inherently better equip to be in charge per se, but the fact of the matter is, they dominate almost every area of society, (except for child rearing and household chores, no, in those areas women are the reigning queens!), and thus are in charge of making most of the rules and regulations for which our society is to abide.
The Dichotomy of Sexism
Ponder for a moment, the fact that women are expected to cook the majority of the meals in any family setting yet, according to slashfood.com: "female chefs make, on average, 24 percent less than their male counterparts. And, putting the salary inequity aside for a moment, the survey also points out that women are just plain underrepresented -- only 13 percent in the executive chef category are women" (Naomi Shulman). This, in a nutshell, is how sexism works in the professional world. Women are expected to do most of the work in a domestic setting, for free, but when it comes to a putting a price on that work, men tend to come out on top.
Sexism in the Workplace
Back to the matter at hand, sexism in the workplace is one of the most under reported occurrences terms of work related issues. This is partially due to the fact that it is so inherent in the fabric of our society that, even when people notice it, they figure it's no big deal. This couldn't be further from the truth! Sexism in the workplace is directly responsible for the fact that all American women are more likely to live in poverty than men. This is regardless of race, ethnic background, or even age. According to Americanporgress.org: "Over half of the 37 million Americans living in poverty today are women. And women in America are further behind than women in other countries—the gap in poverty rates between men and women is wider in America than anywhere else in the Western world" (Alexandra Cawthorne).
Furthermore, sexism seems to have a firm hold over the office politics in many of our places of employment. Here is a brief list to help you identify sexism in your own office.
- Does your boss often ask you to do things such as: get coffee, or clean mirrors even though it isn't a part of your job description, and even though he (or she) would never ask a man to do this?
- Do the men in the office tend to treat the women like they are too emotional by saying things like "well don't get ______ involved, she may cry"?
- Does it seem as though men are the natural choice when it's time for a promotion of some sort?
- Are women kept away from certain meetings or ignored when it comes to making certain decisions?
- Are the women referred to by pet names such as: "honey" or "baby" throughout the day?
- If you are trying to climb the corporate ladder are you given a bad rap for being strong and/or assertive?
- Do the male co-workers treat women better or worse based on their appearance.
- Do women get reprimanded when issues with children arise while the men get praised for "stepping up to the plate" ?
--according to Ronald E. Riggio Ph.D. in a blog he wrote about sexism in the workplace: "(We're both college professors, so it's not a terrible inconvenience to have a kid playing on a computer while we write and analyze data in our offices). But, when I take my daughter to work, many people think it's cute. When my wife does it, it's "inappropriate" (as in "Why can't that woman manage her childcare situation?")"
If you have answered "yes" to any of the above questions, there is a great likelihood that sexism is dictating your office politics. Counteracting is will not happen overnight, but with some patience and determination, you could help to shift the way things are done in your place of employment. Try the following tips if you would like to try and take a stand against sexism at your job.
For Women:
- Offer to take on more responsibility. i.e. a tougher project, or even something that requires heavy lifting.
- Point out that being emotional is not necessarily a weakness, and that not all women are overly emotional.
- Correct people when they call you by pet names every time. "My name isn't sweetie, it's Pam!".
- When they volunteer you to get the coffee, tell them that you are busy working and suggest that a man do it.
- If you are passed up for a promotion, talk to your boss about it candidly and ask for specific reasons why he felt that you weren't qualified. Also ask what you can do to make sure that you are not passed up in the future.
- If you ever have child care issues do point out that your dedication to the working world that caused you to put your children into child care to begin with.
For Men:
- If you notice the men being treated better than the women in your office, speak up!
- Offer to do things like clean a spill or get coffee when you notice that women are being unfairly solicited to complete these tasks.
- Suggest that more women be considered for promotions and if you are the boss, make it your business to take more women into consideration for upcoming promotions.
- Point out that women should not be judged more harshly for having childcare issues.
The Bottom Line
Sexism in the workplace is everyone's problem. This age old ideology allows for many to write women off as mere baby makers, and house cleaners; very unfair in a world in which most women cannot survive by simply being stay at home mothers, due to a troubled economy. If you sit around and allow injustices to persist without taking a stand, then you are just as much of a part of the problem as those who are instigating it. After all, "Women are the only group in our society that lives in intimate association with their opressors." ~Evelyn Cunningham
Sources:
Slashfood "Female Chefs Makes 24 Percent Less than Male Chefs" July 2, 2010 (Accessed October, 2011)
Americanprogress "The Straight Facts on Women in Poverty" October 8, 2008 (Accessed October 2011)
Psychologytoday "Sexism is Alive and Well in Your Workplace" October 6, 2010 (Accessed October 2011)
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