>I, too found "Wood's" message patronizing and a major denial of what >women
endure on a daily basis. My personal experience is that it IS >intentional.
After decades of public discourse on this subject, NO ONE >can seriously be
believed who claims that discrimination against women >in colleges and the
workplace is anything but deliberate.
I'm the originator of the above comment, as well as the one that told him and
others like him to "shut up and listen".
In my humble (oh sure) opinion, "(White) Men [who] have unconciously surfed
the wave of male privilege, supported by power structures and subordinates
(women, people of color, children), for eons." are NOT off the hook, and I
just can't grant them the excuse that what they do is unintentional. If they
are over 15 years old and live in the US, the only excuse they have is that
they don't want to know, have refused the information. I still hold them
responsible.
Now, whether or not my comments 'ala flambe' are effective, THAT'S another
story. I really admire Jayne for her way of communicating WHY wood's comments
were so offensive, in a non-angry way--it was clear, logical, and unfettered.
MY comments on the other hand were full of anger, and even though I spoke the
truth as I see and feel it, I doubt I was as effective as Jayne. I s'pose it
comes down to what we what to accomplish; do we want to get our work done
(convince white males that they really ought to pay attention and work for
social and environmental justice), or do we want them to be the receivers of
our anger (which they richly deserve), in my humble opinion.
I DO want to get this work done and I'm very sick of being victimized by the
good old white boy system. I am 41 years old, have a BS in Geology, yet I am
relegated to a somewhat clerical position here at the USGS. There are plenty
of excuses by the white boys in power about why this is so, none of which are
very convincing when you walk the halls here and see white boy after whote boy
in professional positions, while the women are the support staff. Needless to
say, NONE of the boys are treated this way. My patience is so thin, that when
I read arrogant ivory tower remarks from some young punk, who can't see his
face in front of his face, it JUST PISSES ME OFF.
Jayne's posts remind me of what I really want to do, but at my jaded old age,
its sometimes very difficult to remain calm.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mary Simmons
U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505)262-5330
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
