What's your role?

http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.html

Our society does not promote women to be leaders; women are not taught like men. They sit in the same classrooms as men, but they are treated differently. That treatment follows women through grade school, college and the work environment. As a woman growing up in the public school system I learned to follow the rules and instructions of my superiors, and not speak out. As a child I was very timid and lacked confidence to stand out among my peers. Often I found myself knowing the answer, but not raising my hand, only to find a man answering it instead. Men are taught to take charge. I can’t tell you how often I had a group project where a man was leading.

Because women are taught to be submissive, they often fail to get ahead. Those that learn to do what they’re told, rarely become the ones giving the orders. Women often play by the rules, whereas men see how they can overstep the rules and end up coming out on top. Men are naturally more competitive. They leap at any opportunity to show off or impress people. It’s instinctual. Just like women having and taking care of children. I have encountered many situations like the one Sandberg mentioned. Overall women lack a certain confidence required to take that step from being submissive to in control. In my women’s studies class I learned that women ask more questions. They might say, “It’s in Europe, right?” There is often an uncertainty and that is detrimental to their growth. Women often apologize more and publicly put themselves down. I worked with an intern who when I asked her to provide me with information she did, but said, “sorry I couldn’t be more help.”

For so many years gender roles have indicated what is required of men and women to be accepted and liked in society. If a women has strong convictions, opinions and objectives than she’s usually disliked and called inappropriate things. Why are women with traits similar to men such a big turn-off? Are they threatening the social order of things? People often dislike what’s different or out of character. When people challenge typical views on gender roles then it can make others uncomfortable.

I think that there is a lack of respect for women in the workplace. I’ve found it difficult to be taken seriously as a young woman; you really have to prove yourself. This is especially true in male-dominated fields. I worked on a few movies as a production assistant and found that I was not ranked the same as my male peers. I faced sexist remarks like when I asked a man if he needed help and he told me to stand there and look pretty. Even getting the opportunity to prove yourself is difficult. There are judgments that women don’t belong on set unless they’re in costumes or makeup. Even now, working in an office I still encounter similar situations. Roles are still very gender specific; executive assistants are female, and the majority of window offices are occupied by men. Women have come a long way from the home to the working world. We still have a long way to go. In this fast-paced ever progressing society it is sad to think that we have lower salaries because of our gender. Even females that hold C-status jobs are paid less, and unfortunately those numbers are low.

I am fortunate to live in a society where these injustices are being brought into light. The first step is awareness, and from there the possibilities are endless. I am confident that these differences can be reduced in the future. I know that I  will be among the percentage of women leaders, will you join me?