Some of the best mentors
I’ve had
have been male.
They’ve been awesome.
But I wouldn’t have
become successful
without female mentors.
Why?
Because women deal with sh*t
male mentors don’t even think about.
The stalking issue
I mentioned yesterday
is a big one.
The every day sexism
is another.
The expectation that
we are responsible for the kids
and the upkeep of the house
is a big one,
one you likely don’t realize
impacts you
as much as it does.
I’ve sat in board meetings
where executives
have debated male and female candidates
of the same age
and chose the male candidate
because the female candidate,
despite being unmarried
and clearly career-driven,
might miraculously have a baby.
Was that the reason given
when she was told
she wasn’t landing the job?
Nope.
She was told
“The other candidate
was a bit more qualified.”
How was he qualified?
He had man parts.
Male mentors don’t worry
about working late
in an office
with only their male boss as company.
They don’t worry
about traveling
to female-unfriendly countries.
They don’t worry
their confidence will be perceived
as b*tchiness.
They don’t worry
about denting their male coworker’s
fragile ego
by telling him
he’s wrong.
They don’t understand
how hard we have to fight
to be part of otherwise all male teams.
They don’t live this
every day
so they don’t think
about it.
Female mentors DO live it
and many of us
have figured out
ways to deal with it.
You need at least one
female mentor.