...is what one of my clients called me at work today. He was trying to tell one of my coworkers who had been helping him, but didn’t remember my name. It’s really a Godsend that I have such uniquely distinguishing characteristics, because otherwise, they could have been searching for his staffing consultant for hours.
I’ve never been a tree-hugger, and I prefer my bras tastefully intact, but it would be a lot easier to be cool about harassment if there weren’t so much freakin’ sexism to deal with on a daily basis. The comment above is the worst of an unexpected slew of catcalls, oglings and come-onnances* I’ve experienced since I started my new job.**
Admittedly, these incidents really aren’t that bad. They’re nothing compared to what Joan deals with on an average episode of Mad Men. But they have been surprising, especially for someone who is still trying to grasp the concept that guys might actually think I’m sexy. It’s a bit of a shock to the system.
As the daughter of two feminists-and I gotta shout out to my Dad and Mom, without whom I’d be less than half the person I am today- I probably shouldn’t be so surprised. But my parents spent so much shielding me from discrimination, I forgot that it actually existed.
And what nobody can prepare you for is how it feels to be objectified. For me, it’s a sinking feeling followed by a cognitive reaction of “Wait-is this really happening to me? I’m smart! I’m supposed to be the exception! I want to be the girl that gets along with guys and doesn’t scare them away with all that feminist gibber-jabber!”
But I guess there aren’t any exceptions. And maybe I owe it to people like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eleanor Roosevelt and Catherine Clark Kroeger to some of my own gibbering.
And to all you good guys who treat women with respect, including an awesome coworker who stood up for me today-
We appreciate you.
Tell your friends ;)
*come-onnances, n. instances of someone coming on to you. Not yet recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary.
**All from clients. I have fantastic coworkers.
