Comments on: Shock, Fury, Discouragement, Some Resignation and a Hope

By: annew

annew — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:49:18 +0000

Exactly right, Sandra…

By: Sandra

Sandra — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:46:40 +0000

Amy: I guess it’s because after the whole Feminist Movement thing, young girls were led to believe that proverbial glass ceiling has been broken and gender equality exists. (Certainly, education-wise, there seems to be very little discrimination of this sort. Correct me if I’m wrong?) Then, they move on to their workplace, and they find that men are still more respected, earn higher salaries, etc. I suppose most of them just shrug it off and tell themselves they’re very lucky compared to women in the past, or don’t speak out because they’re afraid of being labelled as whiny feminists. (Oh, the stereotype!)

I’m not sure. I’m just a girl of 15, studying in a girls’ school with the feminist stereotype, and who has just trawled through the internet scouring for articles to help in my commonwealth essay titled ‘Girl Power’.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:25:28 +0000

Amy, it may be wishful thinking, but women my age did a whole bunch to help end discrimination against women and we made some progress… obviously not enough.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:21:20 +0000

To be clearer in my above statement. I mean how can discrimination still be shocking to women?

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:14:29 +0000

How is this behavior shocking to women?

By: Jenn Mattern

Jenn Mattern — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:02:31 +0000

Valid point. But it sounds like the option to "come clean" did come before now, when "James" wasn't struggling to support the kids anymore. So just to play devil's advocate let me ask: are the reasons you might do something in a desperate time still valid when that desperation passes? I have a feeling there might be less criticism if the truth came out closer to when she started, than after having continued the ruse -- or at least if the desperate single mom story weren't being used as justification, when that point might have lost some validity quite a while ago when situations changed. Just a thought. .-= Jenn Mattern´s last blog ..Just One More Reason to Hate Odesk =-.

By: jorgekafkazar

jorgekafkazar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:52:30 +0000

Janet, without being judgmental about other people bring judgmental, I agree with you. When it comes to supporting the kids, a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do. Considerations about gender identity, job status, social niceties, and so on are pretty low on the priority totem pole. .-= jorgekafkazar´s last blog ..Tenirax, Ch V =-.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:51:53 +0000

Yo, I've actually pondered that very thought. Maybe the perception of being a man and having an easier time made it easier for James? Only she can tell us. I told my husband about this. He raised the eyebrow and said, "There's a telling experiment." He wasn't surprised to hear that the experiences were different (he works in a corporate environment), and he thought there could be something to my notion of James's own perception of herself as she assumed the new pen name. Either way, it's a fascinating story. .-= Lori´s last blog ..The Lost Art of Competence =-.

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:25:52 +0000

Janet,
I am the one who made the comment about the “fancy title and big paycheck” and I stand by it. There is much more than a paycheck involved when a woman is raising children. Daughters should be proud of what their mother does for a living. A mother’s work should not be a big secret but rather have a place of honor within the family. James has not shattered the glass ceiling — she succumbed to it.

By: Jenn Mattern

Jenn Mattern — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:22:22 +0000

“You would certainly think it odd if a man felt more assertive and entitled, and expect more positive reactions, by using a female name.”

I wouldn’t. Then again I’ve seen male PR execs blog under a female pseudonym for for similar reasons — being able to be more assertive. Being anonymous can be enough on its own to increase confidence and help people reach business goals. James is an example of that. Amanda Chapel is an example of that. Daniel Lyons is an example of that. Brooke Manganti is an example of that. We have a woman writing under a man’s name, a woman writing under another feminine pseudonym, a man (or several folks) writing under a woman’s name, and a man writing under an anonymous male persona. If it were simply a case of gender bias, the only way to be truly successful would be to write under a male pseudonym, and that isn’t the case.

So I think that while it’s a sad situation that any would feel a need to do that to succeed as a writer, it’s a good question — how much of the gender bias is real and how much is simply what we perceive to be true, and therefore appears true because our perceptions influence our actions and decisions? There are plenty of women making good money as freelance writers, and I think trying to sell the gender bias idea has to be able to account for that side of the equation as well. As Yo mentioned, people of both sexes succeed, as well as fail, in this career.

Yes, it’s an interesting story, but what would be more interesting is seeing what other women can do to increase confidence in how they run their businesses without having to pretend to be someone they’re not — or at least not feel like that’s their only option.
.-= Jenn Mattern´s last blog ..Freelance Writing Jobs – December 15th, 2009 =-.