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Monday, April 8, 2019

They're still surprised?

Yet another study shows that there are still fewer women in the executive and CEO ranks of Canadian business.  What escapes people about this?  I remember saying to then DuPont of Canada president Bob Richardson waaaaaaay back in 1972 that women were basically penalized for having the biological function of bearing children. 

Like a lunatic, I then tried to make a case for on-site daycare.  This pitch was decidedly unsuccessful, as you can imagine.  With a stay-at-home wife who did his laundry and made his bed, he scoffed, derided my views, turned on his heel and walked off.  At the time, I was contemplating a family and knew that would be the end of my career.  Yep, women paid -- and continue to pay -- a big penalty for having kids. 

Several successful women have recently collectively written a book entitled, 'The Collective Wisdom of high-Performing Women'.  In 2018, only 15.8 percent of executive officer positions in Canada were held by women according to stats from the TSE -- barely changed from 2014.  Actually, it's barely changed from 1972, when I first began to ponder combining a career with a husband and kids.  Bizarrely, they claim there may now be an opening to push for substantive change.  Unless men start to bear children, I don't see how?

Business is not the meritocracy they were promised.  No, it isn't.  Tough, that's life. 

Nevertheless, I still believe women should keep working after taking up an expensive seat in an institute of higher learning.  In fact, I think women have an obligation to keep working if they've started a career and I have to confess -- though you already know this -- I do not respect women who sit on their a--es and allow a man to support them.  We're not in the Middle East here.

I personally "bought the ranch", as the saying goes.  Had two kids of my own, lost my job, got a job back after maternity leave and kept going.  Just to ice the cake, I actually re-married after my divorce (caused mainly by my then-husband's inability to earn a living).  And who did I marry?  Yep, a guy with two kids of his own and an ass-sitting ex who rifled our pockets with enduring and enthusiastic fervour!  For years. 

As I always say, women really can't have it both ways.  Support yourselves, girls and have a little self-respect. 




 

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