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Parenting
theseaword
member
Formerly Twilightmv
Women Networking event caused my rage spiral today
theseaword
member
in Parenting
This is going to be TL:DR
Ok, I'm prefacing this with I like my company a lot, and I've never had an issue getting promoted. But their Women Networking initiative is just the goddamn worst. Some background: I actually bitched about this same initiative in a post this time last year. It was the first ever event, and I complained that our sponsor was a male (wut), he called us "girls" 3 times (grrrrr) and the event was limited to managers and above, so women non-managers could not participate even though one of the key problem areas of concern in our industry is how difficult it is for women to break into management.
So today's fucking shit show...kicks off with the male sponsor passing the torch to a woman sponsor! Nice! I am hopeful that this means they are using common sense going forward. The new sponsor brags about how many women showed up today, and that this is the third networking event since the launch last year. Notice there are no actual results or accomplishments of this initiative. Just YAY YOU GUYS KEEP SHOWING UP! So I realize this is just going to be a fluffy circle jerk, as usual.
Our CEO comes out, and I am initially pleased to see him, as it shows the company really prioritizes this stupid initiative. But then he speaks about how awesome white men are for realizing that maybe they should hire some minorities and ladies for a change. Like, look how smart and generous white men are for finally bringing on some token lessor folk. I am less than pleased.
The next act is some HR type lady who talks about how to get promoted. Apparently, the answer is "projecting the right image" and "networking". Like, if only you dumb fuck ladies would learn how to act right in a professional setting, maybe then you'd be getting promoted. "Smile in the hallway!" was actual advice she gave to a group of human business women professionals. Fuck you, you would not give that advice to a man.
So at this point I am making my WTF face from the second row and seething. Then they bring out this panel. This fucking panel, man. First panelist is a high ranking man in the company. He wisely wants no part of this clusterfuck and basically just says "women, yay!". Panelist 2 is a woman who, whilst telling her background, explains that she only got her job because of her powerful dad (thanks, again, men!) and credits her "softer touch" for scoring clients (woo, stereotypes). Panelist #3 is a CPA who runs her own leadership group at her company. She indicated that a great piece of advise she received from her boss when taking on high profile clients was "treat clients like you are dating them!". At this point I am super ragey, as how condescending is that noise?? "Listen, I know your woman brain could not possibly comprehend how to interact with clients in a business setting. So I'll put this in terms you can understand. It's like a date! Women know how to date!"
So then they finallllly open the floor to questions, and I am raring to go because YES I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS CHOICE PANEL. I know this is a fluffy event, and you're supposed to ask questions like "where can I purchase sensible lady business sweaters?" but goddammit it, that HR lady just advised us to smile in the hallway for the second time, and told us not to wear bikinis in our LinkedIn profile pictures, and I have had it! So I ask, "Since it's been acknowledged that there is a drought of women in senior leadership positions in our industry, doesn't it oversimplify the issue to suggest that this disparity would not exist and we'd be promoted at equal rates as men if we just "projected the right image" as well as our male counterparts?"
::Drops mic::
There was a fucking gasp, hahaha. Male panelist one just waved his hands frantically and said "Yes! It does oversimplify things!! I'm staying the fuck out of this!". Panelist 2 sputtered some shit about women backing out of the industry at the higher levels to go raise babies or whatever. Yes, that is my fucking point! Since the birthin' and raisin' of youngins is a need of society, and this burden disproportionately impacts women and women's careers, can't a group like this focus on actual ways to attract and retain women in the workplace, rather than just congratulate itself for successfully putting women together in a conference room?
Thanks to all who stuck around for my vent. I am looking forward to the promised electronic survey so I can share some constructive feedback.
I can't get the ticker to work, but I have two sons:
Baby RJ, born 1/25/2014
Formerly Twilightmv
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Women Networking event caused my rage spiral today
I can't get the ticker to work, but I have two sons:
Baby RJ, born 1/25/2014
Formerly Twilightmv
~*~*~You're Such A Pretty Melody, I'm Just Another Tattooed Tragedy~*~*~
That was an awesome question. I have a weird feeling we may work for the same company as something very similar is currently going on in my office.
Freaking SMILE?!
I also hope you never have to suffer through bullshit like that again.
I can't get the ticker to work, but I have two sons:
Baby RJ, born 1/25/2014
Formerly Twilightmv
Good for you! (and I'm glad you bumped this because I didn't see it before.)