Question B

[Jonetta]

The story takes place in 1996 but the discussion of the female applicants focused a lot on their physical attributes. What surprised you about their comments? Did it seem as if the panelist felt as if they could say these openly and freely?

[Sharon]

It didn't surprise me. It is the way men often evaluate women applicants for anything. A woman's appearance is far more important than her skills or brain. Many men can't see anything wrong with any of the derogatory comments they make, and women are supposed to sit back and take it.

[Jonetta]

It took a long time for my male co-workers to understand how demeaning these comments were to women. Those that weren’t true misogynists were appalled to learn they’d hurt the co-workers they respected and changed almost overnight. The jerks continued until management changed the culture. We women always could tell the difference between those who meant no harm and those who enjoyed it.

Leadership sets the tone in any organization. If they tolerate this stuff, it just continues.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Absolutely agree with your last statement, Jonetta. Thankfully it seems society is making the shift now and it has been a long time coming.

[Sharon]

Very true Jonetta.

[~Melissa~]

Unfortunately, the comments didn't surprise me. Seemed pretty typical of what you'd hear regarding a woman applicant.

[Robin]

The comments didn't surprise me at all. The panel consisted solely of men.

You're right, Jonetta. If leadership tolerates that kind of stuff, it will continue.

[Karen ♐]

I wasn't surprised at all, either. This was how things were. In an interview, I had a potential employer ask me if I "fool around". I told him I was married and he said so am I! Hopefully, women don't have to deal with this type of behavior any more.

[Jonetta]

Okay, Karen. That beats all!

[Karen ♐]

That was the only time I encountered that. Lol

[~Melissa~]

Karen ♐ wrote: "I wasn't surprised at all, either. This was how things were. In an interview, I had a potential employer ask me if I "fool around". I told him I was married and he said so am I! Hopefully, women do..."

Wow ~ that's terrible :(

[Sharon]

Wow Karen.

[Charlene]

I think I was a bit surprised that this story in the late 90s had the workplace climate of "boys will be boys," or something like that. I did not experience this, except in another graduate school setting about that time; a female professor attacked me (verbally) in class and it was extremely uncomfortable. It seemed that -- since she had to fight prejudice against her in her student years -- she did a 180 and found female students to belittle. I was the chosen one for my year, lucky me.

I ended up in England to finish up my postgraduate work and degree. The climate there was much better in the university.

[Jonetta]

You raise an interesting point, Charlene. Sometimes other women could be just as harmful as the male counterparts. These situations often created a “survival of the fittest” mentality within our gender.

[Sharon]

I saw some of that too Charlene, fortunately I didn't have to add fighting women to my work experiences.

If I remember correctly, things started to change in the 90s. The larger companies instituted stronger policies, which eventually trickled down to smaller companies.

[Karen ♐]

I think it definitely started to change in the early 90's. Women were finally starting to speak up and not be afraid they would lose their jobs.