Women Misbehavin'

Well behaved women never make history

Archive for February, 2009

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Feed Your Interests, Raise Money

Posted by businesswom on February 26, 2009

By: colguie

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It’s amazing that even during these tough economic times people are still finding creative ways to fundraise and give back to the causes that mean the most to them.

Two local mom-preneurs from the Baltimore area who were tired of buying cookie dough and wrapping paper decided to start their own green online fundraiser, Pomona, which allows organizations the flexibility to raise money throughout the year while also supporting fair-trade and earth-friendly practices.  Even their boxes are 100% recyclable and biodegradable!

If you’re busy with your career and don’t have the time or resources to start your own business there is still so much you can do.  Come together as a community like these local Business and Professional Women (BPW) chapters did.

Several local organizations held creative events to raise money for BPW Foundation.   BPW/Atlantic, IA held an auction of brown paper bag dinners.  Each member provided dinner, wine or another treat in a decorated box that was further concealed in a brown paper bag.  A menu was attached to the bag with a delicious culinary description enticing potential buyers.  All the money raised went towards BPW/IA state foundation and BPW Foundation.  Here, the main course was definitely for a good cause.

BPW/Cleburne, TX is auctioning a diamond necklace (appraised at $1,360) for their scholarship fundraiser.  They also just celebrated their 80th anniversary last week with a kicker reception and a silent auction withall sorts of goodies.  Check out some snapshots of their event.

There’s no wrong way to fundraise-whether you sell cookie dough, bid at silent auctions or throw pies at your teachers-the important thing is to unite with your community, friends and colleagues and come up with a way to feed your interests while raising money for an important cause at the same time.

Click here to support Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. Make the most impact by setting up a monthly pledge.

 

Posted in BPW | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Speaking for the masses?

Posted by businesswom on February 26, 2009

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Our trusted public figures are busy telling us about the state of the economy, how soon it will be better, and how to deal with it.  We’ve got television experts on the case daily to help all of us working women be financially savvy during these stressful times.   The question is:  can these experts relate to the economic situation of the masses?  Let’s see what they make…

  • Political Scientists $90,050
  • Economists $86,700
  • Financial Analysts $81,700
  • Statisticians $72,150
  • Broadcast News Analysts $70,370

These are average annual salaries, but they are probably on the low side of estimates if you ask me.  Maybe you should quit your day job and pursue one of these careers!  Ok, that’s an exaggeration.   But, at least take advantage of job seeker tools.  Find out how much YOUR expertise is worth in today’s market and make sure you’re getting equitable pay.  

 

Be sure to speak with your legislators and tell them what you think about how the economy is affecting working women and families.  And, if the state of the economy and job security is too much to handle, seek your nearest mental health counselor ($39,450)…

 

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Source: BPW Career Center, U.S. DOL

Posted in Advocacy, Career Advancement, Economy, Pay Equity | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Stimulate What For Who?

Posted by egehl on February 25, 2009

One word: stimulus.  Sick of it already?  It’s echoing in everyone’s head these days and will most certainly be one of the “top over-used words” of 2009 when the press does their annual end of the year tally.

cashmoneychaosNow that President Obama has signed the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law, otherwise known as the economic stimulus package, what next? $790 billion surely is a hefty price tag and for anyone not working on the Congressional Finance and Appropriations Committees the 1,000 page bill feels very intangible.

Even policy wonks are having a hard time wrapping their heads around this unprecedented policy, as it’s cumbersome to gauge exactly how it will impact everyday citizens. But it’s important that we do understand and drill down on this looming federal decision because the sum of money is too large and the stakes are too high if it isn’t implemented well.

So how do women fit into the equation? The economic stimulus package has many provisions that will impact the financial well being of women and their families.  The bill includes funding for a variety of social programs, many of which support low and moderate income women, which are vital to their ability to lead financially stable lives. Specifically, the act has considerable outlays of funds for early childhood development and Head Start, food assistance including food stamps, child care, public housing, higher education financing in Pell Grants, school construction, and health care through increased Medicaid for the uninsured.

During the Congressional debate, the Obama Administration conducted an analysis of how many of the jobs being created by the stimulus package will go to women.  The analysis showed that of the approximately 3.5 million jobs created by the package, some 1.5 million or an estimated 42%, are expected to go to women.  Keep in mind the word “expected”.

I hope that the Obama Administration and federal agencies through Recovery.gov will conduct further analysis and critique over how these funds are being spent and what impact they will have on women being able to secure well paying jobs.  It’s concerning that a significant portion of the jobs that women will gain are in areas that pay lower than average wages whereas wages in construction jobs where men dominate are paid above average. And since a large portion of the stimulus related jobs are geared towards building infrastructure men will have the upper hand in getting a bulk of the better paying opportunities.

Research is showing that women are outpacing men in the workplace so it’s essential that state governments take this into consideration as they begin to receive federal dollars and authorize job creation programs.  State governments have the responsibility to keep women in mind as they implement their “ready to go” stimulus projects and funnel the money down to the local level to businesses, nonprofits and local governments.  We must hold our state governments accountable for how they appropriate these dollars because a lot rests in their hands.

It’s easy to get lost in a piece of legislation this large so it’s incumbent upon all of us to keep abreast of what’s happening at the state and local level so that decisions are made through a lens of gender equality and opportunity.

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Posted in Advocacy, Economy | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Misbehavin’ Notification: Tell the Senate to Confirm Solis

Posted by YWM on February 23, 2009

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The Senate vote to confirm Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) as Labor Secretary has been dragging on and is now going to cloture.  The vote is scheduled for tomorrow, Feburary 24th. Solis will have to overcome a higher threshold than any other cabinet nominee.

Write your Senators TODAY and urge them to quickly confirm Secretary-designate Solis.

Posted in Advocacy, Economy, Misbehavin' Notification, Politics, Successful Workplaces | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Lehman Sibilings

Posted by egehl on February 20, 2009

wall_street1Tough times call for new solutions.  And new solutions call for breaking old stereotypes.

In a recent New York Times opinion piece, Nicholas D. Kristof wrote about conversations at the World Economic Forum on whether we would be in the same circumstances today if the major financial institutions were more diverse and run by men and women.

…Some of the most interesting discussions revolved around whether we would be in the same mess today if Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Sisters. The consensus (and this is among the dead white men who parade annually at Davos) is that the optimal bank would have been Lehman Brothers and Sisters.

As we all know, Wall Street is one of the most male dominated places in the business world, especially when it comes to upper level management. As people examine and try to explain what went wrong in the financial sector, discussions have been happening that the lack of diversity could have been a factor in the demise of many companies.

Aside from pure workplace fairness and women being given an equal chance in climbing the Wall Street ladder, there’s evidence that the result of too much testosterone can equal to second-rate decision making.

According to research, there seems to be a strong consensus that diverse groups perform better at problem solving.  The op-ed refers to a study that claims “men are particularly likely to make high-risk bets when under financial pressure and surrounded by other males of similar status.”  Whereas with women, their risk-taking is not impacted by similar types of peer pressure and competitiveness.

Therefore a greater gender balance in the financial world could reduce some of the unnecessary levels of risk taking and eventual disastrous consequences of homogeneous male herding and dominance.

Diversity in the workplace is important for any field, but given the state of the financial crisis it’s more important than ever.

Women could offer alternative solutions and a more even handed response to how to handle plunging stock markets and what risks are appropriate to take.  It’s great that there are a number of female financial analysts on networks like CNBC, so why can’t more of them be behind the scenes as well?

I hope that Wall Street takes heed and thinks about new ways to tackle their mounting challenges and considers women to help take the helm.

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Posted in Career Advancement, Diversity, Economy, Global, Successful Workplaces | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Brazen: Flagrant and Insolent Audacity

Posted by gansie on February 19, 2009

sluttybizwom1

I was introduced to the site Brazen Careerist by an old (well, she was young) co-worker. And while I hadn’t spent much time on the e-community, I figured that it took a fresh, modern and progressive approach to young professional workplace issues. And maybe some of the contributors do.

And then I saw these.

Managing Women: From A Guy’s Perspective

2. Chivalry is an easy way to win points on stressful days

Older women love it! Opening doors, picking stuff up for them, letting them be first in and out of the elevator. It’s easy and it’s free. When month end rolls around things get fast and furious. Taking the time to remember the little things actually goes a long way.

Yes, of course. Open a door, compliment my hair (that’s the 3rd tactic), gossip with me (4th). That’s right. I’m a stereotype. We’re all stereotypes with blond hair and big boobs and no waist and we really are only working so we can meet a rich man that will let us sit at home and paint our nails and eat chocolate. Don’t manage us as serious people invested in a career. Manage us like little school girls. Love that.

And for full disclosure, here is the author’s rebuttal to the outcries.

Work/Life Balance Isn’t Healthy For 20-Somethings

If you like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that when you have more life responsibilities (i.e. family) you’ll have more autonomy and scheduling flexibility. If you don’t like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that you can develop the skills to get the job you want.

Work/Life Balance isn’t a healthy plan of attack for 20-somethings.

That’s right. Let’s instill the rigid, out-of-date workplace norms that terrorized multiple generations of workers and their families. Work is first. Life is second.

Actually, an effective work-life plan will create productive, healthy and happy employees.  Shocking, I know.

6 Ways To Create Sexual Tension (At Work)

I’m a fan of sexual tension. I think it really has a lot of benefits that go unseen, especially when there is sexual tension at your work. Sometimes I even create tension to make work (when I had a job, at least!) more exciting and productive and interesting.

Right. And this is written by a woman. Women are objects of desire – especially at the workplace – and should be flirted with instead of being taken seriously. So maybe some Gen Y’s (I am one) think we live in a post-gender workplace, but you know what, I’m not so sure. Women still lag behind in prominent positions in the workplace. And I have a feeling that *flirting* won’t be helping our cause.

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Posted in Career Advancement, Feminism, Lifestyle, Worklife Balance | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

New York Post Strikes Again!

Posted by businesswom on February 18, 2009

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Thoughts???

Credit: NYP City Desk, Page Six 212-930-8000

Posted in Economy, Politics | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Are Women Benefiting From the Recession?

Posted by egehl on February 18, 2009

supermom-figureWell, not exactly.  CNN recently reported that the number of women in the workforce could surpass the number of men.  While on the surface this may sound like good news for working women, when you dig a little deeper you realize it’s only a reflection of our current economic crisis.

The surge of women working is not because of increased opportunities, but rather because male dominated jobs are collapsing at a higher rate.  Male dominated industries are being hit hardest and more families are relying on women to pick up the slack.  Because jobs held by men are being downsized rapidly, women are taking on more responsibility and feeling the pressure to be the central caregiver and bread winner of their family.

As the recession continues to drag on there is a power shift happening in homes across the country.  Women are suddenly gaining an unprecedented level of decision making power as more men are unable to make the family’s majority income.  As a result, this is forcing women to take on more responsibility, often for the first time, that could have a lasting impact on their family’s dynamic.

While women do enjoy contributing financially to their family’s income, it can place a huge strain on their mental health and impact their time and capacity for caregiving responsibilities.  This role shift will inevitably bring on increased stress and challenges as women struggle to achieve any sort of work-life balance.

Is there a silver lining to all of this?  In an ideal world women should have the freedom to make constructive decisions about their work and career choices, and not be forced into an unyielding situation.  Unfortunately though given the predicted length of this recession women may not experience that luxury for months and years to come.  Therefore it’s important to understand how women and advocates can make the most out of our changing workforce.

Even during these hard times, we have an opportunity to recognize the contributions women make in the workplace and the financial power they hold.  Equally important, policymakers have the chance to appropriately react to this employment shift by supporting legislation reflective of the needs of women.  As policy decisions are made around job creation and ways to stimulate the economy, diversity should be incorporated.  This includes creating programs and positions that can be geared towards women even in industries that might be considered male dominated such as manufacturing and infrastructure.

Finally, with more women in the workplace the vocal demand for better work-life policies and flexibility will rise from a murmur to a yell as women’s needs move to the forefront.  Women need to capitalize on this and use the workforce trend to their advantage to demand better economic and workplace policies reflective of their increasingly complex lives.

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Posted in Advocacy, Families, Successful Workplaces, Worklife Balance | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Feminine Feminist

Posted by sailorcindy on February 17, 2009

barbiecheerleader

The other day, I came across a website naming a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Barbie the worst toy of the year. The doll is criticized for her outfit (short shorts, skimpy top) and disproportionate body, as well as for sending girls a message that they need to show a lot of skin to be noticed.

At first, I was outraged with the toy industry. We have enough Barbie dolls out there. Do we really need to be sending the message to young girls that they should be tall, blond, leggy, and sexy? But then I thought for a moment about playing with Barbie dolls when I was a little girl. I remember how much fun my sister and I would have – brushing their hair, changing their outfits, making up stories and games. I certainly don’t remember ever feeling like the Barbie had a perfect body that I needed to live up to. Nor do I think that Barbie had a greater influence on the woman I have become than, say, my mother. So the question I had to ask was – what are we really fighting here?

If over-exposing children to sexual images is dangerous, isn’t it also dangerous to encourage girls to completely stifle their femininity?

Having been in the military, I know a thing or two about stifling the womanly side of me. Before joining the military I wasn’t a girly-girl, so it wasn’t a big deal to pull my hair back in a tight bun and forego manicures and facials. When I first left the military, not much changed. I still wore the bun, skipped the makeup, and didn’t spend much time on my clothing (other than to make sure my outfits were ironed). I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when my perspective began to change.

I think I just began realizing that it felt good to wear a skirt to work instead of pants, and I liked taking a few extra minutes to dry my hair and wear it down instead of pulling it back. Although these changes were subtle, they were also very powerful. I felt more confident and strong when I embraced my feminine side than when I stifled it.

With that point in mind, I can’t help but wonder what is going to hurt girls more – telling them it is OK to be cheerleaders, or making them feel ashamed of their femininity by sending a message that all cheerleaders are sexual objects ruining the moral fabric of our society?

Moreover, let’s really get to the heart of the matter. Do we have Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders because these women used to play with Barbie dolls when they were girls? Or do we have a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Barbie because we have Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders? Is this a matter of life imitating art, or art imitating life? The causal connection between playing with a Barbie and becoming a (gasp!) Dallas Cowboy cheerleader seems pretty far removed to me, even if the Barbie the little girl is playing with happens to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Barbie. I guess we better pull all those awful Doctor Barbie dolls off the shelves before too many girls grow up to be physicians.

Although I am exceptionally grateful for the women who came before me to pave the way for women in the workplace, and as proud as I am to be part of the next generation of torchbearers, I do not want to completely abandon my sense of self for the sake of our cause. Do I have to give up my femininity for the sake of my feminism? Or can we find a way to strike a balance between being professionals while still being…women?

And for anyone wondering if I’d be disappointed to see my (currently nonexistent) daughter grow up to be a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, well, of course I would be. But only because I’m a Packers fan.

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Posted in Feminism, Lifestyle | Tagged: , , , , | 12 Comments »

“Why Do We Always Get Screwed?”

Posted by joyinhome on February 13, 2009

stef-Exclamation during a brainstorming meeting with regard to women’s health issues not being covered by insurance.

Posted in Advocacy, Feminism, Health, Politics | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

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