Feminist Praxis

With the gender norms that society has created, it becomes clear what is expected from men and women.  Especially in the work place where more men are expected to be in more stressful and higher paying positions.  People expect more out of men because of the dominance that masculinity that society expects from them. 

In my own experience with this, I remember a time with one of my past jobs, where people expected less of me just because of my gender. There was this one time where a man walked up to me and the first thing he said to me was "Can I speak to a manager?", without even saying "Hi" and smiling at me.  This was obviously a reaction to the fact that I'm female.  And once the manager came over, I heard the man ask the question and I knew the answer. It's frustrating because I know I could have helped that man a lot faster than waiting for a manager to come over to help him.  Just because of my gender, he thought that I couldn't answer his question. 

I would also get men who wouldn't let me help them or answer their questions because I was considered attractive to them.  One man even said to me "You work here?  You're too pretty to be working here."  It's pretty insulting because then where am I suppose to work?  Just because I was seen in that way doesn't mean I shouldn't be working at a certain place.  Women are often times not given enough credit just because of their looks and gender. 

Expectations of women in the workforce are made very clear by these experiences.  People just assume we should be working in a salon or babysitting kids instead of working a "mans job".  Yes, there are times when having a man would work better than a woman, but that can be reversed as well. 

I feel like I engage in everyday activism because I believe that girls can do anything that guys can do.  There are no limitations unless you tell yourself you can't do it.  Women are out there fighting for our country, running successful businesses, and challenging the standard norms everyday.  It's interesting how we can have such strong and independent women out there doing things that most men don't have the guts to do, but yet we are seen as less than a man.

I engage in "everyday activism" by challenging what people think of me and how they view me.  Because of those experiences, I went out and found a more demanding job that'll better my chances for success in the future.  I also speak up when a woman is being treated different just because she is a woman.  Never in my life have I been afraid to speak my mind and tell people that whatever guys can do girls can do too.