On Reflection
When I was in high school, our slightly gung-ho phys ed teacher took us kayaking to a waterfall. To our surprise he pointed to the 15m high cliff beside it and challenged us to climb up and jump off it into the water below. Most of the class made the ascent, and most climbed back the same way they had come. I was one of the few who made the leap, and the pride I felt at being the only girl among those who were gutsy enough more than made up for the pain of a bruised tailbone and a severe winding.
When I was in college, some friends and I started a band. We weren’t very good, but entered the local battle of the bands anyway. We told ourselves repeatedly that although we might not be the most talented, two of our members were girls; in a male dominated competition, surely that would count for something. I still clearly remember our dismay as we arrived at sound check and noticed one of the other bands had a girl on keys. One other girl in the whole competition, and we were shattered. Our edge was gone.
A few weeks ago I ended up in a conversation with my boss about gender equality in the workplace.
“The thing that’s stopping women from advancing in their careers,” he announced, “is women themselves.”
Ignoring my look of gut-shrivelling contempt he continued:
“Everyone thinks that having equal numbers of men and women on an interview panel will even out any gender biases, but in my experience it’s not the men on the panel who end up being harshest to female applicants. It’s the women.”
