On an episode of Mad Men on AMC, Peggy Olsen and Joan Harris were being harassed by male clients who had no respect for them because of their gender. Though Mad Men depicts a time in the late sixties/early 70’s, have times really changed? Are women in business today finally on an equal playing field?
As I was sitting on the plane on my way to LAX, I glanced over at the headline in the Wall Street Journal: “Wall Street Pay Gap Slims.” I was excited. Perhaps finally, women are getting the pay equity they deserve.
Unfortunately, the article had nothing to do with women or the pay inequalities we face.
I started to think about how difficult it is to be a woman in business today. Although we have made great strides, we’re just not there yet.
People say that the local and federal government give preferences to women-owned and minority businesses. However, in my 23 years of business I have never found that to be the case. I have never won a job as a result of my gender.
I thought about my good friend who was surprised when I told her that being a woman has held me back from achieving a greater level of success.
“Hilary,” she said to me, “I find that very hard to believe.”
“There have been some men who I have dealt with in business who have been both condescending and who have bullied me,” I said. “I also had some male clients who just liked to yell. When I held my ground, they would back down.”
“The other day, I was in a business meeting and noticed that people were on their phones while I spoke. When a male colleague spoke, the men were extremely attentive. As we were leaving, they pulled him aside and talked with him about golf, little did they know, I play too.”
And then there is the paying issue, I continued. “One man told me I was a “bad businesswoman,” because I was asking for a 60 day past due bill.”
I could think of numerous examples of men versus women in business, but I don’t want to get too controversial here. But, if I were, I would talk about:
- how men love to show off their children but never ask to see a woman’s children;
- or, how women go out to a business dinner thinking that it’s going to be just about business and the man has something else on his mind;
- or, how men like to dominate the conversation.
I think I’ll leave those for another day…
Do I think women are finally on an even playing field? I don’t think so. I just hope that in my daughter’s daughter’s lifetime things will change.
