As a woman, will I ever be taken seriously?

Question

I do my best to prove myself an equal to the opposite sex, and sometimes, exceed my male colleagues in certian things. But even if I'm just as smart, and just as physically fit, will my actions and my words be taken to heart?

Answer 1

Well in my experience it depends on who the other person is. Male or female, if the other person is just full of themselves, u could climb Everest, win a marathon, pull of the deal of the millennium and still not be taken seriously by them.

Sounds to me ur an achiever and have already accomplished a lot. Forget about proving urself to a bunch of jerks....the decent ones in the lot already know ur more than competent. Focus on raising ur own personal standards.

Answer 2

When you take yourself seriously, those who matter will also take you seriously.

Some never will, simply because they're envious of what you've got and well... what they think should not ever matter to you.

When you strive towards higher acheivements, don't do it to prove anything to anyone, but do it from your heart, for you. Never for anyone else.

Remember this, neither gender is better than the other. If you're doing it as a means to "de-ball" your male colleagues, it will come back and kick you in the ar*e some day.

Answer 3

Companies are reluctant to "invest" in women because experience has shown that they end up having children and don't come back to work, or if they do, they miss time because of their children's illnesses. It is hard for you to convince an employer you will be the exception. I have been reluctant to place women for those reason myself. After 12 years in management, I know it will happen. I have promoted people and made concessions for them only to have them get married and decide to be a mom. It is frustrating from a business point of view.

Answer 4

You may be taken seriously, but its harder for many women than it is for men (or even for women who are little more like men).

Feminine women can usually prove themselves at work; but as long as they come across as feminine and don't do things to come across as more masculine (such as lower their voice or wear more man-ish clothes) it can be more difficult.

Between people (both men and women) who are ignorant and just naturally buy whatever a man says because he's a man and people who think they're enlightened but respond to you based on your gender, it is a minority of people who realize how strong, intelligent, or tough a feminine woman may be; it is a real challenge.

You have the people who think you're a "fluffy-head" or "sentimental" or "soft" because you're a woman. Some see you as their child, no matter how old you are. Others see you as their mother, but that means they see you as nice but not necessarily strong and capable and logical-minded. Others see you as a woman and can't help responding to your sexuality. Its probably only very intelligent people or else people who are more intelligent on the inside than they appear on the outside who can imagine that you may be as well. Even they, though, may think of themselves as rare and not realize how many people are far more intelligent or strong than they appear.

You could consider trying to play down your femininity and lowering your voice in order to be taken seriously, but why should women have to become fake men in order to be taken seriously? The message that sends the world is still that a person cannot be feminine and be every bit as, or more intelligent than, men.

All you can do is be true to yourself, keep doing the best work you can, and maybe occasionally pointing out to someone how difficult it is feel as if you have to prove yourself when men and women who are more masculine just kind of automatically get taken seriously regardless of what they have to say or the quality of their work.

There is that joke that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only she had to do it backwards and in high-heels. That kind of says it all about women's capabilities and men's.

Answer 5

It might take a generation or two before women are taken more seriously.

My concern is that women can't be equal to men....now don't freek over this......because sometimes women are better than men. And actually each person should be taken as they are no matter their race or sex. I don't want women to stop being women...becasue of being women we excell in many things....even in things that males often are best at.
As people we need to see the total person.

Be confident in yourself. Don't let the men see you react to them. Be better than them and you are paving the road for women in the future

Answer 6

things like that depends bigger on he kind of person you are going with,, some have the good sense of thingking while others have a very narrow mind to understand the thing that drives a woman likeyou!!

for sure some will do and some may not,, but the good thing is you are true to what you really want to be \...

Answer 7

I know how you feel, same thing happens to me. A guy I work with just got a raise he's been working for 3 months and I haven't gotten one yet well I've been working for a year and am just as good as him if not better..

Answer 8

i don't know which area you are in. There are plenty of areas that are filled with open minded prfessionals who judge base on performance and contributions.

On the other hand, keep in mind that guys think of sex every 30 seconds. And if you are very attractive, you can't blame them judging you something else.

Sometimes, I will say don't try too hard to prove it. it may backfire and making others annoy.

Answer 9

Perhaps, but you must understand, being taken seriuosly doesn't mean being handed everthing on a silver platter.

Answer 10

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It all depends. Systems of inequality and oppression only continue because we give them permission to. ..

So, ask yourself, will your actions and words be taken to heart? The world changes when someone says "i will change the world, by monitoring what i give or deny my permission to"

Please visit link below to learn, the why's, who's, and how's to stop giving your permission to gendered systems of inequality.