advice/ commentary about gender topic
Brittany Stresing
Description
Collection
Title:
advice/ commentary about gender topic
Creator:
Brittany Stresing
Date:
4/23/2021
Text:
Hi List Serv,
I realize that in the past few years there is more and more of a focus on
gender and there have been a few surveys which has led me to want to
reach out as a female O and P practice owner and practitioner. I was
reluctant to post at first but I feel passionate enough that I wanted to go
ahead and write this.
We are in a wonderful profession that helps people in incredible ways and I
love that people are interested in the profession and I personally want to
see the enthusiasm continue. That is why I felt the need to write this. I
have observed a few of the surveys and articles which come off somewhat
loaded so I want to express my issue with loaded questions and how it can
negatively affect people. I say this as a confident professional woman
who, when taking some of these surveys or reading about the topic, get
worked up thinking the wording really is horrible for motivating people.
What doesn't motivate or help someone is to make blanket statements about
how hard it will be to ever succeed or what people will think of them if
they are driven to attain certain positions because of something they
cannot change about themselves. I would never have wanted to hear some of
these things when I was starting out.
I feel like questions asking about women needing more mentoring, more
communication and more empathy when being spoken to, women not working long
hours, women needing more encouragement, etc sends out a message to people
in a few ways: 1) this makes employers feel cautious/ think there will be
an issue when it is not true 2) it makes it seem like women will not be
able to succeed 3) it pushes stereotypes which can be damaging and
incorrect.
As an employer and as a female, I want people to know that no matter what
your gender, age, race, or anything there is nothing to stop you from
getting what you want in this profession. I feel like we need to be more
understanding that people are individuals. We should not be assuming or
wording questions so that it sounds like women will not work as hard
because they will want a family. Maybe they do not want children, cannot
have children, have a husband who can help with family, etc. Who are we to
stereotype that women are not going to want to move up in their career like
a male, or that they won't be confident to negotiate a raise, or work long
hours if needed. Who is to say a male will do any of this? I've worked
with extremely hardworking men and women as well as less hardworking men
and women. There are men and also women who are very driven in
their careers as well as some who have limits on their times, There are men
and women who are just more driven than others. I have worked with, for,
and also hired people and I cannot tell you how different everyone has been
and gender was not the deciding factor. It was an individual's
decisions and desires.
So, my message and reason for this email is that people are individuals so
please, especially people early in their careers, realize it does not
matter anything besides what you want out of life and career and how hard
you want to work for it. No other factors will limit you. If you cannot
succeed, feel respected or move up in a way you want, just know that you
have options and are not limited. Enjoy this wonderful profession and the
sky's the limit no matter who you are if you work hard toward your goal,
whatever your individual goal is. We are all individuals with individual
needs and goals and that should be respected.
Brittany Stresing, CPO FAAOP
I realize that in the past few years there is more and more of a focus on
gender and there have been a few surveys which has led me to want to
reach out as a female O and P practice owner and practitioner. I was
reluctant to post at first but I feel passionate enough that I wanted to go
ahead and write this.
We are in a wonderful profession that helps people in incredible ways and I
love that people are interested in the profession and I personally want to
see the enthusiasm continue. That is why I felt the need to write this. I
have observed a few of the surveys and articles which come off somewhat
loaded so I want to express my issue with loaded questions and how it can
negatively affect people. I say this as a confident professional woman
who, when taking some of these surveys or reading about the topic, get
worked up thinking the wording really is horrible for motivating people.
What doesn't motivate or help someone is to make blanket statements about
how hard it will be to ever succeed or what people will think of them if
they are driven to attain certain positions because of something they
cannot change about themselves. I would never have wanted to hear some of
these things when I was starting out.
I feel like questions asking about women needing more mentoring, more
communication and more empathy when being spoken to, women not working long
hours, women needing more encouragement, etc sends out a message to people
in a few ways: 1) this makes employers feel cautious/ think there will be
an issue when it is not true 2) it makes it seem like women will not be
able to succeed 3) it pushes stereotypes which can be damaging and
incorrect.
As an employer and as a female, I want people to know that no matter what
your gender, age, race, or anything there is nothing to stop you from
getting what you want in this profession. I feel like we need to be more
understanding that people are individuals. We should not be assuming or
wording questions so that it sounds like women will not work as hard
because they will want a family. Maybe they do not want children, cannot
have children, have a husband who can help with family, etc. Who are we to
stereotype that women are not going to want to move up in their career like
a male, or that they won't be confident to negotiate a raise, or work long
hours if needed. Who is to say a male will do any of this? I've worked
with extremely hardworking men and women as well as less hardworking men
and women. There are men and also women who are very driven in
their careers as well as some who have limits on their times, There are men
and women who are just more driven than others. I have worked with, for,
and also hired people and I cannot tell you how different everyone has been
and gender was not the deciding factor. It was an individual's
decisions and desires.
So, my message and reason for this email is that people are individuals so
please, especially people early in their careers, realize it does not
matter anything besides what you want out of life and career and how hard
you want to work for it. No other factors will limit you. If you cannot
succeed, feel respected or move up in a way you want, just know that you
have options and are not limited. Enjoy this wonderful profession and the
sky's the limit no matter who you are if you work hard toward your goal,
whatever your individual goal is. We are all individuals with individual
needs and goals and that should be respected.
Brittany Stresing, CPO FAAOP
Citation
Brittany Stresing, “advice/ commentary about gender topic,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/255462.
