We’ve Come a Long Way? Maybe NOT!
How proud we boomers were to celebrate each hard won crack in the glass ceiling!
Those of us gals who attempted to join the workforce in the 1970s could expect certain questions at each and every job interview. Whether or not there was a B.A. after your name, the primary question remained: “How fast can you type?” And, if the lady candidate sported a wedding ring, the next question was always: “Does your husband mind if you work?” Meanwhile, male college graduate applicants of the time were swiftly enrolled in the firm’s management training program and were never questioned as to their typing speed or their wife’s concern regarding their employment choices.
Moreover, if a woman already had a family and decided to go to work because she was widowed, divorced, or otherwise needed an income; she was generally viewed as an aberration—someone who was out of place in the business world. In fact, the term applied to such females was “displaced homemakers…” not exactly a sign of respect for their business acumen!
Nevertheless and despite the enormous odds stacked against us, we feisty gals pushed hard to gain a semblance of parity with our male counterparts. And we succeeded! Granted, major inequities in compensation, seats in the boardroom, and in a thousand other ways still exist—but our struggles made a difference for our daughters and ourselves.
Yet it goes without saying that the younger generation tends to want to shock and surprise their elders. We certainly outraged our parents with our long hair, protests, and fondness for pot. But this latest news is almost too much to bear: A brand new survey found that more than 25% of women would trade in IQ points for bigger breasts. I’m speechless!
I do try to adopt a positive outlook in most things but this one is challenging me—big time. What could they be thinking? I’ve always considered the triumphs of the Women’s Movement to be one of our lasting legacies that will forever change the lives of future generations… but maybe not.
Is it possible to feel feisty, frazzled, and dumbfounded all at the same time?!
Posts
June 15th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
The survey was online. I doubt it’s authentic, but look how easy it is to buy it. That’s the real problem.
May 8th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Wow! Then into the 90′s and assumptions that we couldn’t travel if we were married. Then even 5 years ago, the same questions. I try to look at the age of the person asking the question, and hoping that younger folks don’t have those inherent biases. Keep watching, waiting and hoping. Adding a beauty, self-perception challenge to the issue just makes it more frustrating! Come on ladies!!!
April 11th, 2012 at 1:37 am
I’m totally with you on this one. Can’t understand it at all!