Bad Taste

So, I was waiting for a meeting to begin at work the other day, and I couldn't help but listen to the conversation two ladies were having behind me [to help you better visualize the situation: They both had teased hair, wore light blue sparkly eye shadow, donned gaudy costume-y jewelry, and had shoulder pads underneath their oversized skirt suits]. They were discussing how much they like the few-year-old policy that requires at least one woman to serve on all hiring boards. Each lady mentioned instances where she was selected to serve on such a board simply because of her gender; furthermore, both suggested that they had no problem with this appointment system.

Perhaps these women didn't think twice of their gender-based role on hiring committees, because they really feel that they actually deserved such positions based on workplace accomplishments; but their tones of voice suggested otherwise. In fact, their discussion implied that they had almost "beat the system" undeservingly because of their gender.

I have found that, in the work environment, some women feel that they are immediately deserving of certain positions and job perks [these ladies could very well be in the minority, but they have certainly stuck out to me]. It seems that their mindset is, "Hey! I'm a woman. We haven't always been equal to men, so now you have to make up for it and give me all this stuff, even if I really haven't earned it. And if you don't give me these perks, I'm just going to say you didn't give it to me because I'm a woman...so there."

I kind of...sort of...[but don't really] get this mindset. It may be true that women haven't always been allowed to hold high positions in business environments, but this modern actuality does not entitle them to certain perks without the necessary qualifications. I, for one, would much rather have a hiring board of qualified gentlemen than one that consists of unqualified women.

Of course, I do think that there are qualified ladies to participate on these hiring boards, and I do understand that at least one woman is required to partake to prevent bias from unknowingly influencing decisions. I just don't think that the people making these appointment decisions are working hard enough to seek out these deserving ladies, which is a problem in itself---it is as though these decision makers are assuming that all women are "equal" [that is, equally deserving and able...so dumb and not true] and that their inherent sexuality is of greater importance than their workplace accomplishments and intellectual abilities.

Basically, if these aforementioned women really want to achieve anything in the real world that will yield true respect, they need to stop using their historical disadvantages to gain unearned workplace rewards. Women need to step up and do a good job; they must stop resting on their gender. If women don't stop doing so, they will simply be perpetuating gender stereotypes.

I beg of ladies to step up, respect themselves, respect all womankind, and respect their coworkers by working hard [and not wearing shoulder pads or pastel eyeshadow].