Women in America

I have been reading some recent Newsweek articles, and I felt I needed to speak to the status of women in (The United States of) America. The first article was actually a series of essays by women about gender, class, and Hillary Clinton. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/120064 and the what women want sidebar links) Many of these essays, written by older women, spoke of feeling solidarity with Hillary, of understanding the obstacles she had to overcome as a woman and the invisibility of many women her age. Many mentioned how unfair it was that it was socially acceptable to make fun of her pantsuits (do women have to wear skirts), her “cankles,” the ironing shirt jokes, and other sexist comments. This behavior was also tolerated at work. Anna Quindlen then wrote a great Last Word called “Still Stuck in Second” (http://www.newsweek.com/id/120049) that agreed with many of those essays. Racist comments are a big no-no, but sexist comments are often still tolerated. Somehow sexism is still acceptable while racism is not (although both are much more rampant than they should be in the 21^st century. Or any century really. And I am not advocating for anyone to base their vote on gender or race.). I totally agree with these essays.

What bothered me was the essays was a couple by some young women who stated that they didn’t have an affinity for Hillary, perhaps because they hadn’t experienced the same struggles as females that older women had. They cited high GPAs, high college attendance and graduation, good jobs. That’s great for them, and I am to some extent glad that women fresh out of college see this country as an equal place for men and women.

I have been out of college for nearly 5 years now, so I am probably a fairly similar age as these women writing the essays. But I have had a far different experience and a far different outlook on life. Maybe this is part of the reason I voted for Hillary. Statistically speaking, I am under 30, highly educated, and a fairly high earner, so I should be a de facto Obama supporter. But I am jaded, and I don’t react to the message of hope. And I suspect I am not alone. Here’s why:

1) I spent my first two years of college in engineering classes, often being one of few women in my classes. Female professors in this area were virtually nonexistent

2) After I transferred to the recreation department, much more full of women, a professor read a job announcement for a student to help with visitor surveys in the regional parks. The position was open to men only. No joke. This was in 2002. I promptly raised my hand to ask how this was okay, and the professor quickly said, “I’m just the messenger. Don’t get mad at me.” Okay so maybe he didn’t write the announcement, but couldn’t he have questioned it?

3) Shortly after class I stormed into the office of the professor who made this announcement. (The same one, by the way, who taught the class on management including sections on gender discrimination. Apparently he didn’t learn anything.) I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I let him know that it was completely unfair. He claimed to be doing it for my safety. I told him I didn’t need his protection. I really don’t remember how it went, but I did eventually get the job.

4) Out of three on-site surveyors on the job at the time, I had the highest survey response rate – about 98%. The two men had rates down around 90%. One day on the way back from class with the professor and a fellow surveyor, they started joking that I must have the highest response rate because I showed cleavage. Seriously. They said this in front of me. In 2003.

5) I was accepted into a graduate hydrology program at a highly regarded school for the subject. My entering class consisted of 16 women and 4 men. This sounds good at first glance. Before my class, however, the program was highly weighted toward men. So instead of assuming that we were accepted for our personal merits, many of the women started joking, half seriously, that the department was trying to fill a quota. We still don’t know what the truth is, but it is sad either way – sad if they accepted us to fill a quota, and sad that if we were accepted on our merits we didn’t even believe that highly in ourselves as women

6) My first job out of graduate school was at a National Lab. I was routinely in meetings with all men and no other women. Many of the state employees are dealt with acted like a good old boys’ club, and the university economist basically disregarded anything I had to say until my boss backed me up. He routinely left me out as an author on posters and papers. The environment was not welcoming.

7) I just started a new job with the state, and the sexual harassment video they showed included footage of a man grabbing his crotch. I found this offensive. The video was almost propagating the very thing it was designed to prevent. It reminded me of an office episode…

Now don’t get me wrong; I have worked with many men who treated me as an equal, and I have had bosses who obviously judged me on my merits, not my gender. And I will admit that I am suspicious of men. Maybe I don’t give them the benefit of the doubt. But in a work situation, I often feel as though I am being judged.

I don’t think I am alone here. Back me up girls.