tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10246709.post8405730259070629946..comments2023-12-22T19:52:13.198-05:00Comments on Fernham: Women and Leadership, Newsweek and HollywoodAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03281027116636227323noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10246709.post-67906676682382327422007-10-11T16:05:00.000-04:002007-10-11T16:05:00.000-04:00Thanks, Cam.As you can see, I can go on about this...Thanks, Cam.<BR/><BR/>As you can see, I can go on about this, too. I think what you say about individualism in America is right on.<BR/><BR/>And I share your sense that it's hard to pinpoint the ways in which gender has made a difference in one's career--women dominate English lit--but it does, it has.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks for your thoughtful comment!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03281027116636227323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10246709.post-70362138725401274052007-10-10T14:31:00.000-04:002007-10-10T14:31:00.000-04:00Hi Anne. Interesting comments. I'll have to read...Hi Anne. Interesting comments. I'll have to read the Newsweek issue. <BR/><BR/>Although it's a disappointing answer, I don't find it surprising that so many women attribute their success to their own individual attention to their goals. I think a lot of men would give similar answers. An American 'stick to it' attitude perhaps, one that we claim even when it is only a portion of what contributes to one's success. Where I think this argument fails is that <I>nobody</I> does it on his/her own. Could it be that many women are so unrecognizing about the attributes and choices that made them successful that they don't know how to mentor others? <BR/><BR/>I've worked for 15 years in a very male-dominated profession (and mostly WASP, at least in my part of the country). On some levels I rarely think of the 'boys club' attitude, but I know that it exists. It's always startling when it comes out of its very subtle habitat to reveal its presence. At times I've benefited from it, in that I was promoted because of an intent, earnest or not, to promote more women. That doesn't mean I wasn't qualified, or that it was easier. Many women that I've worked with think of work as an economic necessity and don't think beyond overtly sexist stereotypes to those more subtle attitudes that prevail. But, I think this ignoring of the situation is why I also know many who refuse to identify themselves as 'feminist'. Many don't know what that means; many don't care because they are content with their economic status and see little benefit to be gained by the label "feminist". If asked by one of them to define it, I'm not sure that I could. But that's a topic that is way too complicated for what has already become too lengthy of a comment.Anne Camillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419931136194330529noreply@blogger.com