Spring Break
I am feminist but not
one of 'those' feminists
Colleen Watson
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Opinion
I still don't think that women are treated the same as men in some areas. When I worked at a temporary agency, the women were given receptionist jobs, while men with the same background were sent into accounting at a higher pay.
According to a CNN Money poll, 13 women were CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in 2007. I can't name one female CEO, but off the top of my head, I can name Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch and Charles Schwab. Oh, but a big shout out to Linda Lange, CEO of Jack in the Box. OK, only a Fortune 1000; thanks for making us fat.
A study by Catalyst, which studies women in business, found that in the workplace women leaders who portrayed typical female stereotypes such as focusing on work relationships or expressing concern for other people's perspectives were seen as less competent leaders. Women who behaved more assertively were viewed as good leaders but unfeminine and were not well liked - a lose-lose situation.
Women are also less likely to be found in engineering or science jobs, but is that discrimination or choice? The National Science Institute found that in the fourth grade, as many girls as boys were interested in math and science. By the eighth grade, twice as many boys than girls were interested in math and science. The study showed that stereotypical images of scientists as men - or as severe, unhappy women - can turn girls off to the sciences. The same research found that teachers tended to teach boys and girls differently, explaining experiments to boys but doing the experiments for the girls.
At SJSU, there are more women than men on campus, but if you head over to the engineering department, do you see that?
In the past couple of decades women have made extraordinary leaps in equality. There are more women in all facets of business, education and politics than there have ever been. But there is still more room for improvement.
There are many different feminists. They aren't raving madwomen or men haters, and they aren't always women. I don't think that everyone knows what a feminist is. A feminist is anyone who believes in equality of the sexes.
I don't cook. My favorite color is pink. I love Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead." I don't own a little black dress. I wear makeup and holey jeans.
I am a feminist.
According to a CNN Money poll, 13 women were CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in 2007. I can't name one female CEO, but off the top of my head, I can name Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch and Charles Schwab. Oh, but a big shout out to Linda Lange, CEO of Jack in the Box. OK, only a Fortune 1000; thanks for making us fat.
A study by Catalyst, which studies women in business, found that in the workplace women leaders who portrayed typical female stereotypes such as focusing on work relationships or expressing concern for other people's perspectives were seen as less competent leaders. Women who behaved more assertively were viewed as good leaders but unfeminine and were not well liked - a lose-lose situation.
Women are also less likely to be found in engineering or science jobs, but is that discrimination or choice? The National Science Institute found that in the fourth grade, as many girls as boys were interested in math and science. By the eighth grade, twice as many boys than girls were interested in math and science. The study showed that stereotypical images of scientists as men - or as severe, unhappy women - can turn girls off to the sciences. The same research found that teachers tended to teach boys and girls differently, explaining experiments to boys but doing the experiments for the girls.
At SJSU, there are more women than men on campus, but if you head over to the engineering department, do you see that?
In the past couple of decades women have made extraordinary leaps in equality. There are more women in all facets of business, education and politics than there have ever been. But there is still more room for improvement.
There are many different feminists. They aren't raving madwomen or men haters, and they aren't always women. I don't think that everyone knows what a feminist is. A feminist is anyone who believes in equality of the sexes.
I don't cook. My favorite color is pink. I love Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead." I don't own a little black dress. I wear makeup and holey jeans.
I am a feminist.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Sandra Shah
posted 2/28/08 @ 1:51 PM PST
If you are one of those type feminist (lol) then you must be a Princess Bubble fan as well. Every girl/woman I meet that expresses your same opinions has a copy of Princess Bubble on their coffee table and I laugh now when I visit someone and see the Princess Bubble book with this cult following. (Continued…)
Andrea Frainier
posted 2/28/08 @ 10:41 PM PST
According to Merriam Webster, feminism is defined as, "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes." Under this definition of feminism, how could anyone not say they are a feminist?
Ray
posted 2/29/08 @ 1:22 PM PST
Never. Insult. Fark.
It's like sticking your hand into a wasp's nest.
I completely agree with the traditional feminism, that men and women are (for the most part) equal. (Continued…)
Bargled
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:47 PM PST
"When that same candidate gets judged by her looks, her makeup and what she is wearing, it shows that feminism is still needed."
In 1960, the first presidential debate was aired on television, along with radio. (Continued…)
SSV
posted 2/29/08 @ 3:34 PM PST
It's cute that your husband put a computer in the kitchen, but you really should just be using it to look up recipes.
Solid Stately Jr.
posted 2/29/08 @ 4:38 PM PST
How can you not know Mark Huckabee's first name? He's only going to be the next president of the United States. There's really no excuse for that even if you are a girl. (Continued…)
Ace Frehley's Ghost
posted 3/01/08 @ 12:34 PM PST
If you have issue with the fact that Hillary Clinton is being marketed simply as "Hillary" perhaps you should take it up with her campaign staff. When her mass printed campaign signs simply say "Hillary '08" I think that she's probably in on the conspiracy. (Continued…)
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