Gender in the workplace

[lindsaydotcom]

So one of the professors came in with his little girl today for a while. His daughter is four years old, maybe? I went over to remind him that he had an appointment today with a prospective student I was courting, and he said that he might be a it late since he had to drop off his daughter with the babysitter since she couldn't take her in the morning. I said sure, that I'd occupy the student until he was free, and didn't think anything much of it, until I spoke to one of the secretaries later on who said "Gee, you think a woman could get away with saying that she was going to be late because of her daughter?" I have to say that I was taken aback – I honestly don't think a woman could say that without some derision or scorn by her male counterparts, even though this male professor was able to do it without a second thought. It's an interesting, albeit depressing, realization. And even more frustrating was accepting that I bought into it completely, since I didn't even think to ask whether I would have treated a female member the same way.

Comments

[dexters.livejournal.com]

Very interesting point indeed. I have to say that, unfortunately, I agree. Men get pats on the back for "putting family first", and women get dirty looks.