Michelle Preston

Essay Two: Diversity Issues Reflection

In my earliest years in the workforce, I would not say I ever experienced gender inequality. I

held several management-level positions with different companies, and never felt over-looked in favor

of my male counterparts. I held a supervisory position when I got engaged and married. My boss was

always impressed with my drive, and promoted me twice in the first two years of my marriage. The

president of the company I worked for started to take notice, and talked to me about another

promotion he wanted me to apply for in the coming months.

Then my husband and I decided to start a family. Everything changed. Coming to work while

expecting, I was treated very differently. People in my department had to take a good portion of my

workload to cover for my frequent doctor visits. The possibility of a promotion vanished- how could my

boss add stress and new responsibilities with a maternity leave and life-changing event looming on the

horizon? The responsibilities I did carry were soon divvied out to other employees to make sure the

department would not be left short-handed while I was on maternity leave. I began to feel utterly

useless. Though I technically still held a position of management and responsibility, my daily workload

was reduced to anything that could be scrounged up to keep me busy until my due date. The day could

not come fast enough.

The birth of my oldest daughter changed my life more than I ever realized possible. The

generous 12 week maternity leave flew by, and before I knew it, it was time to return to work. I

remember sobbing when I had to leave my tiny 12 week old baby with a complete stranger, praying I

could trust the online reviews I had read of her caregiving abilities. Back in the office, it was another

adjustment to take back the responsibility that came with my job description. I was soon informed
some men in the office were complaining about how unfair it was that I was able to take 12 weeks off

while they took over my work, and now the company was compelled to offer me breaks throughout the

day to pump milk for my baby. In our week one discussion, Kezlyn Thayne posted “…female bosses /

managers will have a harder time succeeding if her employees don’t believe in her…” By choosing to

have children, I had lost the respect in the office I had once had. The cost of child care was almost equal

to what I brought home in a paycheck, and I didn’t enjoy the job anymore, feeling like I was causing an

uproar with my needs as a new mother. When I put in my two weeks’ notice about a month later, I

found out one of my complaining male co-workers would be promoted to take my place.

I am a female. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, and have never wished to be anything

different. I have had experiences in my life where I have worked with men I respected, and felt they

respected me. I have had experiences of supporting legislation which was passed by my male

representatives in government. My experiences with men in my life have been mostly positive, with

only a handful of negative ones. Like everyone else, I have listened to the recent news stories of women

who have been denied opportunity in the business world, harassed by male bosses or co-workers,

lacked representation of their needs in the government, and been reminded of my own handful of

negative experiences. I have wondered what causes the gap between genders in America, and what can

be done to bridge it.

The gap between genders in the US is not imagined. According to a study by Center for

American Women and Politics completed in 2018, of the 100 senators in the US, only 23 are women

(source: www.cawp.rutgers.edu). Our government is overwhelming run by men. As educated and well

intentioned as a male representative may be, could any life experience prepare them to make the best

decisions for women about women’s health care, laws protecting women’s rights, or laws to address

maternity leave and mother’s needs as they return to work? Could a male representative ever have the

same focus on children and education as their female counterparts?

 I don’t believe they could. Men and women are fundamentally different. They have different

physical needs, and different genetic make-ups. The same study by Center for American Women and

Politics found statistically significant differences in the focus of legislation introduced by women than

that introduced by men. Legislation introduced by women is more likely to be focused on policies that

relate to women and families, such as education, health care, leave from work, and domestic violence.

The gender gap is perhaps even more dire in the private sector. Despite evidence that women

have a the ability to run businesses that are equally if not more profitable as those run by men,

according to Nick Ismail’s article “Men vs Women: CEO’s in the Fortune 1000,” of the top one thousand

companies in the US, only 54 have female CEOs (source: www.information-age.com). That is barely over

5%!

Women are being prevented from moving up in businesses. Although they make up 47% of the

workforce (source: US Department of Labor), they do not hold high level management positions nearly

as often as men. Why are big business’ not tapping into such an amazing trove of talent?

According to a study published by Daniel Borzelleca in Forbes Magazine, female college

attendance has been climbing since the 1970’s, and female college attendance now exceeds male

attendance 43.6% to 56.4% (source: forbes.com). Across the nation women’s only technology

internship programs, science and math education camps other education programs have been

implemented. Women more educated than ever before, but we continue to hear this single issue

pounded again and again- more education. Maybe we try to tell ourselves lack of education is the only

problem. After all, if it were, gender inequality would be easier to fix.

But the reality of gender inequality in the US goes much deeper than just education. It stems

from an inability to allow women to contribute in society and the workplace while they bear and care for

children. In some cases, that includes the ability to get an education, but it also includes so much more.
Our society has a discriminatory view of women. Young women entering the workforce are often not

taken seriously, and once they become mothers, they are told what they can contribute is not worth the

trouble of working around their family’s needs.

Like most types of discrimination, I don’t believe gender discrimination occurs as a result of

malicious intent. In her essay “We are All Third Generation,” Margaret Mead talks about the need

Americans have to feel a sense of belonging by finding things they have in common. Speaking of the

attitude of Americans who cross paths, she said, “Are you the same kind of person I am? Good, how

about a coke?” On some level, we are all looking for a way to relate.

We have seen the kind of damage this desire to seek out and bond exclusively with those like

ourselves has done throughout the history of our country. Frederick Douglas once described a time in

our nation’s history that was made possible only because white Americans dehumanized those who

looked different from themselves. He said, “…hope is much needed, under the dark clouds which lower

above the horizon” (source: What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?). The clouds of which he spoke were

slavery. White Americans were unable to relate to people with dark skin. They recognized a first

impression of something utterly different from themselves and could not move past it. Consequently,

they enslaved blacks, dehumanized them, and subjected them to conditions no white person would ever

be compelled to bear.

Author Amy Tan described growing up in the US with her mother, who spoke English with a

heavy Chinese accent. She said, “…people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not

take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if

they did not hear her.” (source: Mother Tongue). People who met Tan’s mother immediately saw

something they didn’t relate to. Tan’s mother was different. They shut her out, without seeking any

further to find common ground.

 Gavin Grimm, a transgender from Virginia realized the pains of being different as he started high

school as was denied access to the boy’s restroom. He said, “Every day brings that little bit of extra

planning and that nagging feeling that someone is going to find a new way to single me out.” (source:

I’m Transgender and Can’t Use the Bathroom). Why do we continually pull away from people when we

realize they are different?

As a society, we must make a conscious effort to change this part of our nature that refuses to

relate, and learn to embrace people who are different than ourselves. Change is never easy, and almost

always takes time. In his speech “A More Perfect Union,” President Obama said, “…what we know –

what we have seen – is that America can change.” We have seen this country adapt and change

throughout history. With gender inequality harming roughly half our population, has there ever been an

issue with more far reaching effects? This is a problem that must inspire change.

Young women starting their career need to be valued and treated with as much respect as their

male counterparts. They cannot be limited because one day they may need to take maternity leave.

Expectant mothers may be difficult for office environments to adjust to, but the value they bring is well

worth the inconvenience. And women returning to the workforce, sometimes after years of being

homemakers, must be recognized for the skills they have. Their time away from work was spent doing

something valuable, and the wisdom they gained caring for their family can only add to their abilities.

We need the business world, government agencies, and men in powerful positions to make a conscious

effort to recognize the amazing talent that lies in women, and those they may not necessarily relate to.
 Sources

Borzelleca, Daniel. Feb 16, 2012. “The Male-Female Ration in College.” www.forbes.com

Center for American Women and Politics. 2018. www.rutgers.edu/women-us-senate-2018

Douglas, Frederick. July 5, 1852. “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?”

Grimm, Gavin. Oct 27, 2016. “I’m Transgender and Can’t Use the Student Bathroom.”

Ismail, Nick. April 4, 2017. “Men vs Women: CEOs in the Fortune 1000.” www.information-age.com

Mead, Margaret. “We are All Third Generation.”

Obama, Barrack. March 18, 2008. “A More Perfect Union.”

Tan, Amy. “Mother Tongue.”

US Department of Labor. 2006. “Women in the Labor Force in 2006.” www.dol.gov