Women in the workplace ( Gender Bias)

Yesterday I had an intriguing conversation with my mom about her relations to Gender bias and Gender equality in the workplace. Did she feel like men were put before women in the work place or in any environment work related?  Was there ever a feeling that her male counterparts were getting more acknowledgement then the women that worked with them? My mom was a Licensed Practical Nurse for 7 years before a huge brain tumor came in the way which left her legally blind after a few months of recovering from her surgery. I was a little skeptical about asking her anything about her past career because I knew if she could do it all over again she would. “A conversation or two became a long line of questions more like an interview”, she said. My mom opened up to me and said, “When I became a Nurse it was so competitive even with the degree and all, furthermore as time would past a several of new Nurses would work together or under the Registered Nurses and Doctors, I know from the outside looking in everybody may think Gender bias isn't in a workplace as such as an hospital but, there was”. My mom explained, “Male Nurses especially the new ones were always competing with the women Nurses and their specialty for favoritism, that the director and other people would acknowledge more of their progress while some female Nurses would do exceptional jobs with their patients and not get acknowledgement for it. “Are you all supposed to work like that or as a team? , I mumbled”.

 She responded, “At Emory Hospital or even every were else I worked with male counterparts who felt that they had exceptional power over the females in the same positions as them, it was like they wanted to prove something to the women and they gaved us a look as if they would dominant the hospital someday”. Mom, how did you feel when you wouldn't get acknowledge for your work with the patients knowing that your male counterpart was trying to do the same? , “I was deranged knowing that this is still happening in today’s work place, and that both female and male had the same level of education why be split into two categories” ?she said.

I went through the same thing my mom went through when I wasn't acknowledged at my job. Back in 2010 I worked part time as a trainer at Planet Fitness gym; being the only girl trainer there was quite fascinating but, what startled me was some men would walk in there and laugh because I wasn't a male training them so they asked me was this what I really wanted to do? Now that I think about it I was being put down because of my gender and probably how physically fit I was, that my male counterparts didn't take me serious. Yes I would call this situation being gender bias, thinking that a man is only fit for a job as a real good personal trainer or that women can only do a certain job or they won’t get the amount of satisfaction and results they need because of me being a female, that’s a load of crap if you ask me. What did my gender have to do with my ability training them; I can have as much knowledge just as a male.

My Grandma sadly stated as I was still talking to my mom, “Everyday here in America and across the globe women are still subjected to abuse, often paid less than their male counterparts, and do not occupy leaderships roles in the numbers that their competency skills and number reflect”. I felt as if she could relate to this topic I was writing about. My Grandma was a school Math teacher back in her country of South Africa with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in the 1970’s, based on her gender she was among some of the women that were pay less and subjected to abuse to teach while the male teachers earned more. My Grandma told me that when she was teaching or on lunch break another male teacher would call her out her name just to feel that he is the man and she was the female in his world. Back then gender equality and rights were very bad; men were allowed to work while some women were housewives because men felt as if they were in command. “Demand has been matched by supply: women are increasingly willing and able to work outside the home. The vacuum cleaner has played its part. Improved technology reduced the amount of time needed for the traditional female work of cleaning and cooking”. (www.economist.com). As years went by more like decades female had the empowerment to further their education and career just as the men did. Across the rich world more women are working than ever before coping with this change will be one of the great challenges of the coming decades. To me this is a woman world and men are just guest in this world of ours, women have the power to do anything and everything and shouldn't be categorized by gender.

WE ARE THE SAME LET’S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT!

Dennis,Gwendolyn. “Gender Equality”. Personal Interview.25 Sept.2013

"Female Power." Economist. N.p., 30 Dec. 2010. Web. 25 Sept. 2013.