A question for other professional women...

Do you still find yourself discriminated against or come up against male chauvinism often? I ask because it keeps happening to me and I wonder if it's just me or do other women have the same experiences.

For example, I was in a meeting with 2 men and a male external wholesaler. He was explaining his products to us all and after he was done, he looks at me and says, "This is a lot of information for you and I'm sure I confused you." ***!!!! Out of everyone in that room, I am the MOST qualified and familiar with the products. Another time, I was sitting at a table at a conference with two male contemporaries and a wholesaler comes up and introduces himself to the two males and not me. Again, I was the only one at that table that actually makes the investment decisions for the team. I was the only one that can make him money.

Aside from those examples, I am never invited to play golf or offered tickets to sporting events when my male contemporaries are. I find this very frustrating.

I should mention that I work in finance.

Re: A question for other professional women...

I work in finance too. same thing. its still a boys club.

Re: A question for other professional women...

Yup - I work in finance too and i have felt for years that i have gotten shafted because i am a woman. It also doesnt help that i am "back office" in a mostly "front office" environment. At my last company i was treated like an admin because i was the only woman at the firm at the time that wasn't an admin. People used to ask me to do their administrative BS all the time and I would have to re-direct them to the appropriate person. At my current firm, I do all of the administrative tasks because we dont have an admin, and everyone assumes that since i am a woman, I will do it. It's very frustrating.

Re: A question for other professional women...

Fortunately, there are mostly women in my office, so I don't have any issues with this.
I work in publishing.

Re: A question for other professional women...

I know how you feel. My boss had to miss a meeting with some high level execs in my firm and asked me to go in his place. I was the only woman. I introduced myself and said I would be representing my boss. I took notes, asked questions, participated in the dialogue, etc. I thought it went really well. The next day my boss gets a call from one of the execs telling him how impressed he was with his secretary during the meeting. My boss was like that secretary happens to be a senior vice president in the firm. Old school loser!

Re: A question for other professional women...

In my old career (television production) I felt discrimination all the time - once a male producer even suggested that I look into a different field of work b/c tv production wasn't a place for a "nice girl."
Eventually my interests changed anyway, and now I work in education as a career counselor and there is 1 man in my office.
I still do here about cases of discrimination though - recently I've heard of a girl that was flat out asked on an interview whether she was pregnant.

Re: A question for other professional women...

i work in real estate and because i'm young and they THINK i have no idea what i'm doing, i get called "sweetie", "honey", "kiddo" and honestly its very frustrating. i sold more houses my first year out than a typical realtor does in 3 years! i've paid my dues, i've earned my status as a broker, but because i'm a woman and a young one at that, i still get treated like a child. i was honestly considering cutting my hair to shoulder length in the hopes that it would make me look older!

Re: A question for other professional women...

Message edited 9/29/2011 10:27:32 AM.