Please recommend a book/article by a woman about workplace sexism.
March 27, 2015 5:09 AM Subscribe
A friend has been given an opening by a leader in a large, conservative organization to help him understand women's experiences of sexism in the workplace. Is there a book or article by a woman talking about her experiences you would recommend?
This person is a conservative Christian leader who is, I think, open to changing his opinions about this subject. He's been hearing women who work there saying they have problems with the way they are treated, and he acknowledges that this seems to be a legitimate problem, but that he doesn't understand what they're talking about. He thinks women have a pretty good numerical representation and voice at this workplace. I think he himself sometimes treats women in sexist ways without realizing it.
My friend thinks, given this admission, that he might be open to reading a book or article that might help him understand the issues better. We think the best option would be something by one or more women relating their experiences of what it's like to be on the receiving end of sexism in the workplace. Something that might help him empathize with his employees. It would need to be something that doesn't have too much feminist jargon and that isn't hostile to Christianity, something that won't give him an easy way to discount the writer's experiences. Any recommendations?
This person is a conservative Christian leader who is, I think, open to changing his opinions about this subject. He's been hearing women who work there saying they have problems with the way they are treated, and he acknowledges that this seems to be a legitimate problem, but that he doesn't understand what they're talking about. He thinks women have a pretty good numerical representation and voice at this workplace. I think he himself sometimes treats women in sexist ways without realizing it.
My friend thinks, given this admission, that he might be open to reading a book or article that might help him understand the issues better. We think the best option would be something by one or more women relating their experiences of what it's like to be on the receiving end of sexism in the workplace. Something that might help him empathize with his employees. It would need to be something that doesn't have too much feminist jargon and that isn't hostile to Christianity, something that won't give him an easy way to discount the writer's experiences. Any recommendations?
The problem with Lean In is that it's one very successful woman's story. I'm not sure this guy would be able to relate with it in a way that will make him realize how widespread this kind of stuff is, or how it holds women back (because it didn't hold Sandberg back, right? I'm not buying this argument, I'm just saying, this could be how it goes in his mind).
How do you think he would feel about reading an internet forum where a lot of women share their stories? Something like this; I know there are more and hope other posters can find them.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:37 AM on March 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
How do you think he would feel about reading an internet forum where a lot of women share their stories? Something like this; I know there are more and hope other posters can find them.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:37 AM on March 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
I just came across this article about male speech patterns and dominance. Part of it is framed as being about girls and boys, but it actually contains many references and examples that are relevant in the workplace.
posted by meijusa at 5:45 AM on March 27, 2015
posted by meijusa at 5:45 AM on March 27, 2015
Talking from 9 to 5 by Deborah Tannen would be a good start.
posted by heatherann at 5:50 AM on March 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by heatherann at 5:50 AM on March 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is a great question!
Harvard Business Review's Women in the Workplace Research Roundup will provide a number of potentially helpful studies.
It's worth tailoring this ask to the need, though: is the problematic environment he's skeptical of interrupting-women stuff, or butt-grabbing stuff, or pay-gap stuff or all of the above? If you can flesh out what the specific issues in the workplace are, we might be able to provide something more
Also it would be helpful to understand the kind of environment; a hospital system vs. a manufacturing company for example, since there might be some specific resources.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:35 AM on March 27, 2015
Harvard Business Review's Women in the Workplace Research Roundup will provide a number of potentially helpful studies.
It's worth tailoring this ask to the need, though: is the problematic environment he's skeptical of interrupting-women stuff, or butt-grabbing stuff, or pay-gap stuff or all of the above? If you can flesh out what the specific issues in the workplace are, we might be able to provide something more
Also it would be helpful to understand the kind of environment; a hospital system vs. a manufacturing company for example, since there might be some specific resources.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:35 AM on March 27, 2015
I'll also add that maybe he should be doing focus groups or finding some way to understand the best resource available to him on the topic: the actual women who are raising the issue. They will know way better than HBS what the specific symptoms are where he is.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:36 AM on March 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:36 AM on March 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
Seconding Lean In (I found she was very good at describing the internal struggles she went through as well as how others - friends, colleagues, etc - were not necessarily able to do what she did)
Ask For It and/or Women Don't Ask by Babcock and Laschever
Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich
See also this thread and this thread and this thread for more discussion of experiences.
Or he could just ask the women he works with and listen to them... Not believing/trusting their interpretation of their situation is probably a good example of the sexism they're experiencing.
posted by melissasaurus at 6:37 AM on March 27, 2015 [5 favorites]
Ask For It and/or Women Don't Ask by Babcock and Laschever
Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich
See also this thread and this thread and this thread for more discussion of experiences.
Or he could just ask the women he works with and listen to them... Not believing/trusting their interpretation of their situation is probably a good example of the sexism they're experiencing.
posted by melissasaurus at 6:37 AM on March 27, 2015 [5 favorites]
Men Just Don't Trust Women -- And It's A Huge Problem is decent.
I have to say that as a linguist I loathe Deborah Tannen and think her research is terrible, but she seems to have some resonance for straight people as a pop psychology writer. I haven't read the book recommended above, so I am just suggesting caution with her.
posted by bile and syntax at 6:47 AM on March 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
I have to say that as a linguist I loathe Deborah Tannen and think her research is terrible, but she seems to have some resonance for straight people as a pop psychology writer. I haven't read the book recommended above, so I am just suggesting caution with her.
posted by bile and syntax at 6:47 AM on March 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
Maybe the title essay of Rebecca Solnit's book Men Explain Things To Me? You may have to check out first to see if it isn't overly didactic (I don't remember it being thus, but just in case); but it does begin with a dilly of an anecdote; Solnit had just published a book about a poet, and she was at party and some guy tried making small talk and she said she wrote, and was interested in this particular poet - and the guy said, "oh, you may be very interested in this very important book about him, maybe you haven't heard about it" and proceeded to recommend her own book to her.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:52 AM on March 27, 2015
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:52 AM on March 27, 2015
I can't resist recommending a Meta thread taking place right now.
It's about how heart disease is (badly) approached in women as compared to men, but the comments are more broadly about women seeking health care in general.
If this is in the medical profession that seeks to unbiasly treat all comers to improve everyone's health, what must it be like to work in a business or industry that doesn't have such lofty goals?
posted by vitabellosi at 7:24 AM on March 27, 2015
It's about how heart disease is (badly) approached in women as compared to men, but the comments are more broadly about women seeking health care in general.
If this is in the medical profession that seeks to unbiasly treat all comers to improve everyone's health, what must it be like to work in a business or industry that doesn't have such lofty goals?
posted by vitabellosi at 7:24 AM on March 27, 2015
What riding my bike taught me about white privilege
I am reasonably sure I have seen a very similar article about what riding a bike taught a man about sexism, but I cannot find it. I am posting this here and mentioning the other one in hopes that someone else will provide the correct link. I am sure I have seen both posted to the blue on mefi (and one got deleted for being too similar to the other). But my google fu is failing me at the moment to come up with the one about sexism.
I like it because it is experiential (and because I walk everywhere and cuss at "car people" all the time.)
posted by Michele in California at 10:21 AM on March 27, 2015
I am reasonably sure I have seen a very similar article about what riding a bike taught a man about sexism, but I cannot find it. I am posting this here and mentioning the other one in hopes that someone else will provide the correct link. I am sure I have seen both posted to the blue on mefi (and one got deleted for being too similar to the other). But my google fu is failing me at the moment to come up with the one about sexism.
I like it because it is experiential (and because I walk everywhere and cuss at "car people" all the time.)
posted by Michele in California at 10:21 AM on March 27, 2015
I asked this question a couple of months ago when I was writing an article on gender bias in STEM. The answers include a lot of great resources.
posted by blurker at 10:29 AM on March 27, 2015
posted by blurker at 10:29 AM on March 27, 2015
Given that this person is a conservative Christian leader, you might look into some of Tim Keller's writings/teachings about how sexism and distrust of women is consistently depicted as wrong and oppressive throughout the Bible. (If you think that would be helpful, I could look up some chapters and/or specific sermons about it.) Keller talks a lot about how sexism and doubting of women's voices is absolutely portrayed as sinful, and that churches/organizations who perpetuate the practice are ignoring the very obvious messaging of both the Old and New Testaments.
(One of my favorite examples: Angel of the Lord tells Elizabeth she will give birth to John the Baptist. She is excited. She tells her husband, who does not believe her, and demands that the angel tell him directly. The angel mostly refuses to answer his questions, won't tell him anything he didn't already tell his wife, says that Zechariah disbelieving his wife is the same thing as disbelieving God himself, and then Zechariah is made mute for the duration of the pregnancy.
Then, when the baby is born and Elizabeth names him John, everyone is like "lol women can't name babies, your husband is in charge," and they ask Zechariah what HE wants to name the baby. He writes HIS NAME IS JOHN on his little "god-struck-me-mute" tablet, and then his speech is restored. WOO.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 12:25 PM on March 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
(One of my favorite examples: Angel of the Lord tells Elizabeth she will give birth to John the Baptist. She is excited. She tells her husband, who does not believe her, and demands that the angel tell him directly. The angel mostly refuses to answer his questions, won't tell him anything he didn't already tell his wife, says that Zechariah disbelieving his wife is the same thing as disbelieving God himself, and then Zechariah is made mute for the duration of the pregnancy.
Then, when the baby is born and Elizabeth names him John, everyone is like "lol women can't name babies, your husband is in charge," and they ask Zechariah what HE wants to name the baby. He writes HIS NAME IS JOHN on his little "god-struck-me-mute" tablet, and then his speech is restored. WOO.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 12:25 PM on March 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
Oh good lord, this shit has been going on since THE BIBLE?!?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:38 PM on March 27, 2015
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:38 PM on March 27, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 5:23 AM on March 27, 2015