Sunday, March 27, 2005

Females Oppressing Females

Guestblogger: McFly

There is a strange phenomenon that has eluded from our microscope, female oppression of other females. Despite the women’s civil rights movement, women have not made strides in the encouragement and advancement of each other. Especially Deaf women-the worse lot. If anything, it is a well hidden and subtle form of abuse. Oppression begets oppression.

As long as this continues not to be dissected and discussed out in the open, each and every one of us is capable of this kind of abuse on our female counterparts. Females are raised in this society and unconsciously taught to nurture and care for men, thus neglecting the nurture of the same gender. Our media, role models and daily sublimal messages are bombarded with automatically honoring the male gender first and foremost.

Female bosses *tend* to impose a tougher standard on their female subordinates. What are the signs and behavior? What does it look like? For an example, during staff meetings the female manager has more eye contact with the males. Female managers practice a different set of behavior norms/rules and standards for females subordinates compared to male subordinates. Female managers verbally abusing female subordinates more than the male subordinates. My favorite bosses/managers over the years were the male ones. Sad to say, my most hated ones were the females. Female Deaf managers have many moons to go before improvement is made to end this cycle of abuse.

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