"Les joies de la maternité" - ©dalbera Do you always realize your comment is not prejudicial?
Not to long ago, a friend of mine was telling me about his work hours and how everyone at his office was staying late. In fact, he started talking about one particular colleague, a woman, and how business oriented or even workaholic she was. Nothing was wrong with that to him until he went on saying that, he and other colleagues, finally told her to relax, and because she had children, she should go home, take time and enjoy her children.
It seems to me they were very thoughtful and kind, and so I asked - Did you make the same comment to the guys in the office who have children? His answer was no.
I wanted to start explaining to him that this kind of comments - and behind it a way of thinking - was quite wrong. Indeed, why would you say it only to a woman who is a mother and not to the men who are fathers? Is it because of the stereotypes of gender roles you have? However my friend realized it the moment he answered my question and he was already deep in thoughts about his conception of men and women at work and at home and the role we, as a society, give them.
Sometimes, you mean right, but when you actually analyze it, what you say is gender bias or might even be sexist. I know I may sound alarmist, I just want us to think about our conception of men and women and the roles we give them.
Not to long ago, a friend of mine was telling me about his work hours and how everyone at his office was staying late. In fact, he started talking about one particular colleague, a woman, and how business oriented or even workaholic she was. Nothing was wrong with that to him until he went on saying that, he and other colleagues, finally told her to relax, and because she had children, she should go home, take time and enjoy her children.
It seems to me they were very thoughtful and kind, and so I asked - Did you make the same comment to the guys in the office who have children? His answer was no.
I wanted to start explaining to him that this kind of comments - and behind it a way of thinking - was quite wrong. Indeed, why would you say it only to a woman who is a mother and not to the men who are fathers? Is it because of the stereotypes of gender roles you have? However my friend realized it the moment he answered my question and he was already deep in thoughts about his conception of men and women at work and at home and the role we, as a society, give them.
Sometimes, you mean right, but when you actually analyze it, what you say is gender bias or might even be sexist. I know I may sound alarmist, I just want us to think about our conception of men and women and the roles we give them.
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