TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Sexism in the workplace From:CLoris <HARRIS -dot- CLORIS -at- IC1D -dot- HARRIS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 29 Apr 1993 16:30:16 EST
I am just curious, how many of the discriminated against female
technical writers work in an all-female office?
I have seen certain departments where I work at Harris that have all
women technical writers. It is from my limited observations of them
that lead me to believe they generate feelings of discrimination on
their own. Because most of the engineers are men and already share
their gender as a common bond, they tend to associate away from the
female group of technical writers. I however see no discrimination
whatsoever.
In my department there are 4 male writers and 1 female writer. The
concept of sexism has never been a factor in our proffessonal life.
In fact it is a great source of levity that even draws us together.
I used to work at another company where there were about 5 women
editors and 2 men editors. I would say there was deffinately
discrimination against us. Whether it was real or just imagined, it
was a force that affected our work.
After some thought, I think that the claims of sexism in todays
workplace is not always true. It is sometimes a cover for the
feelings of not belonging, of feeling inferior to engineers, or of
ones own sexual insecurity.
Just some ramblings for the forum, please let me know if you feel
otherwise or differently. This is a topic that is worth discussing.
Chris
harris,cloris -at- ic1d -dot- harris -dot- com