Coffee bias? Is this what Feminism has been reduced to?

Question

That's the conclusion of American economist Caitlin Knowles Myers. She, with her students as research assistants, staked out eight coffee shops (PDF) in the Boston area and watched how long it took men and women to be served. Her conclusion: Men get their coffee 20 seconds earlier than do women.
http://www.slate.com/id/2177697/nav/tap3/

What? 20 seconds?? Say it ain't so! Legions of bra burners didn't set their intimate apparel aflame in decades past, only to have some snot-nosed barista lollygag when serving a double-tall, half-caff, skim Mochachino with light foam !!

Oh, the inhumanity of it all!
Betty Friedan must be rolling in her grave!

Answer 1

This is just a made-for-media story.. It's meaningless and is being promoted online, by online media that's marginal at best (Slate). Trying to make waves. You can see that someone, originally... may have been pre-thought out to mix Sexism and Coffee (popular with college kids) -- to achieve something of a casual interest with a certain audience.

The media... meaning Yahoo, any online News site... and ultimately TV news, etc. can adapt this kind of non-story to their programming (showing stock images of coffee shops, and asking simple, LOW COST man-on-the-street interviews.. especially if the get a good looking coed chick to say something useful for the broadcast). Then, they can lead-in a news-tease with her face, etc. etc. IN FACT, they can also use the logo slyly, of some on-air advertiser (if Starbucks buys time, expect a Starbucks logo/cup to be used miraculously in footage).

The media feeds off itself -- and here's a great example of how something inane, weak-minded or simply wrong -- gets airtime... because it affects the demographics the media wants (young, mostly white coffee drinkers).

Plus, talking about where Feminism Today is.. you can expect a Hillary Clinton to glom some easy air-time too, in reaction (and not offend anyone).. at some point, to say that it took her for-ever... one time, presumably in 1974... when she was on a line in a coffee shop.. and "we can, and we will do better". (Or, is she the pied-piper of Feign-inism?)

Answer 2

It is something. Bias against women is found everywhere, even when it comes to coffee for crying out loud. Women can't get a break. :) LOL.

I make my coffee at home everyday. My husband and I take our coffee the same way so it takes the same time.

I just read the link. This is actually an interesting study from an economic perspective like the story says. Competition is supposed to erode discrimination but clearly that doesn't always happen. I like these studies. It certainly makes you think and teaches you to be wise in using generalizations and assumptions.

Answer 3

I think you've put a little more thought into it than you should have. I was just at Starbucks this morning, and there were NO men in line in front of me or behind me. And, lo and behold...there were no men working this morning, either.

I think there is such a thing as coincidence...AND.. I agree with what the other person said...men don't typically order anything complicated. I don't, either. I don't like waiting for my coffee, then getting the wrong thing. It's best to just order it as it comes!

I will come to the defense of the "snot-nosed barista lollygag" and say...NEXT QUESTION PLEASE.

Answer 4

I get your point but i am willing to bet that women choose more extravagant coffee than men on the average too. or they don't step up and get noticed as fast.

My wife usually picks a coffee that requires allot more time than my simple choices. just a theory

Seems to me if this is the injustice they are fighting about the fight is purity much over. quit hanging on to the past and move on. We are all equal until someone breaks into the house. LOL

Answer 5

I get the sarcasm, and I do agree its not that big a deal. But 20 seconds is a while to stand in the front of a line without someone acknowleding you.

The study may point out that people still have strong sub-concious biases against women. Or maybe that women carry them selves in a way that they don't demand attention. Who knows but it's interesting to think about.

Answer 6

The reason behind this is simple.

If the server was a woman, she was obviously in a bigger hurry to serve men in an effort to show them what a good catch she would be.

If the server was a man, he was purposely slow serving women while trying to come up with something witty to say that might eventually land him in the sack.

Life has always gone on this way....

Answer 7

Unfortunately, yes. The feminist movement was a disaster from the start because it was so fragmented. Career women didn't understand stay at home Moms. College educated white collar distanced themselves from factory workers and so on.
The woman who did the research on the coffee needs to get a life and a better job.

Answer 8

Could it be that the clerk serving the coffee was checking out the young Lovelies. Betty Friedan is a fraud.

Answer 9

When I saw the head line I went there expecting to learn something, 20 seconds you gotta be kidding me, anyone that doesn't have 20 seconds to spare doesn't need coffee, and anyone who studies such innane things needs a friggin life!

Answer 10

It may be due to men being more agressive in their tone of voice. I agree with you on how much of a waste that so-called study is. Guess what?

- MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT -

Go figure. If I were married and heard a noise in the house, I will NOT tell my wife "Honey. Its your turn to investigate". In this regard I am a sexist for life.