"R Gore", I'd love to work with you... My dream job is to work with people I could
learn from, and that could learn from me. <sigh>.
As a blonde, blue-eyed, slim, 32 year old female, I have not encountered sexual
inuendo or harassment by fellow networkers, but yes, it happens. As the only female
instructor teaching at a post-secondary level in the School of Electronics and
Electrical Engineering Technology at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, I
was asked to go out to all the high schools, representing the institute and use my
"femaleness" to attract female students to the program. The problem was that
enrollment had started to drop drastically... and fewer students means fewer incoming
dollars. They were prepared to use whatever means available to get students into the
program. I wasn't impressed...
Often however, it's not harassment I encounter, but rather people tend to treat me as
if I don't know anything--I've had a monitor unplugged when on course by a guy who
thought I'd whine to the instructor being unable to fix it myself. He thought I was
just a pretty face (his friend ratted on him when I quickly discovered the problem).
Yes, females *ARE* treated differently... but for me, it's always been an advantage.
I'm a people person, and I **like** to get to know people - to find out what they're
up to, what challenges they're encountering. Because I'm female, I'm rare and because
of my gender, I attract attention when I walk into a room full of men. From seminar
to seminar, people notice me. After seeing me several times, their curiosity is
piqued, and they'll come over and initiate a dialog with me, especially if I'm talking
with someone they know. I generally get to know more people than the average
"networker".
Being female has been to my advantage - employers tend to hire people they know and
most of my work experience has been a result of people asking me to work for them.
The key is to treat people with respect--if they return the respect, grand! If they
don't, then they weren't worth getting to know anyway and you really didn't want to
work there...
-- Leigh Anne
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Friday, June 09, 2000 11:13 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: Cisco for Woman?
>
>
> Lenita,
>
> I recommend you seek employment elsewhere and/or counseling...
>
> In my office of 12 engineers, 4 are women. I freely admit that in many
> respects, their networking/technical prowess exceeds my own and I'm not
> offended by that at all. I learn from them and they learn from me. They
> are good at what they do and well respected.
>
> R Gore
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lenita [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, June 09, 2000 9:23 AM
> To: Ms. Maria; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: Cisco for Woman?
>
>
> Let me speak to this from a woman's point of view. Being a trailblazer
> isn't a lot of fun, trust me. You are exactly right, this is a HEAVILY
> male-dominated field, and the best way to think of it as if the field were
> like white-collar construction; lots of male macho behaviour. Some of the
> crap I've heard and been exposed to in this field would automatically get
> people fired in other disciplines, but because they're just boyz,
> well, they
> were just kidding.....
> The level of sexual comments can be quite high - much higher than
> any other
> job I've been in......I mean I've heard some really offensive stuff coming
> out of some male techs some times......
>
> Often assertive women will get nailed (ie - fired, or tagged as
> being a dyke
> for being too assertive.....etc - you know the drill, I'm betting). If
> you're beautiful, 5'2" and submissive, that's perfect for a lot of these
> guys - but what that do for you in your career? The requirement for this
> job, I believe, is for a secure, professional and assertive
> person (notice I
> did not mention gender in my description).
>
> Yes, to some degree some men like diversity, but GOD FORBID that woman
> actually knows more than they do.........
>
> But having said all that, is it a good field for women? YES! There's NO
> reason we can't do the work, and this field, as you already have noted, is
> DESPARATE for female presence.......it's going to happen sooner or later,
> and the pay is decent. You're on the right track. PLEASE keep
> going..........
>
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