Both of the articles for next week talk about how motherhood often affects the pathway to leadership for many women. In “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership,” Eagly and Carli explain that “decision makers often assume that mothers have domestic responsibilities that make it inappropriate to promote them to demanding positions” (Eagly and Carli 68). Why aren’t the children considered for men who are applying for higher positions? Shouldn’t fathers be just as important in children’s lives as mothers?
In “Operation Pipeline,” Hawkins asserts the fact that family still “remains an issue for women on the campaign trail. In trainings, women rehearse how to handle questions about whether they’re neglecting husbands or children” (Hawkins 90). Do people ever ask men if they’re neglecting their wife and kids? Does this idea even cross peoples’ minds? Probably not. Our current way of thinking about what is and is not acceptable for mothers and fathers needs some serious readjusting.
A couple of years ago, my mom applied for an upper management position at her company that she has been at for a good 23 or so years. During the interview, she was asked a question about how she would deal with difficult people and/or situations if she happened to get the position. In her answer, my mom said something about how she had raised three kids on her own and felt that she would be able to deal with any situation that presented itself. Immediately following the interview, the job candidates were given feedback and my mom was told that her biggest mistake was in saying (or admitting?!) that she was a mother.
While I was totally disgusted when my mom told me this story, it makes sense considering society’s current conceptions about the roles of men and women and what we expect of them. In Closing the Leadership Gap, Marie Wilson argues that “motherhood, often used as an excuse to keep us down, is actually one of the best sources of our power” (Wilson 71). Though it is one of our best sources of power, I guess we are just not allowed to talk about it yet as my mom mistakenly did in her interview…
2 comments:
Katie L.N.
First I agree with what you said about women being questioned about their families. The only time I can think of that family has been and "issue" for a male candidate was when Kerry was deciding if he should run or not because of his wife's cancer. (I believer it was Kerry.) He was really judged and criticized for it. However, had the roles been reversed I can't imagine that a woman would even have a chance at winning if she "turned her back" on her husband's cancer. I think that decision would be the doom of any woman in today's society.
Also, regarding your mom's interview - I think it is horrible that it happened. It's really hard for me to understand those situations. While I completely understand that it happens, no one in my family has ever been in such a predicament. For my family, it has always been a plus for us that we have a large family and that we know how to manage and raise children. I frequently hear, "Oh, if you can take care of kids you can do anything!" So, I guess then that gives me hope that things are changing!
Oh, I sure hope so! :)
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