syllabubble ([info]cherron) wrote,

hmmm...

So, I have a big important meeting for work tomorrow morning for a seaport development project. My part in the project is to make sure the design will be more or less environmentally sound and to tell the designers what kind of permits they will need. So, it's me and a bunch of older guys working together - a familiar scenario. We will all be meeting at the Oakland office of one of the subcontractors. So, the lead project guy just called me up, made sure I was coming to the meeting, and asked me if I could bring muffins and bagels. I said "sure," and hung up, and then I went "hmmm." Why did he ask me to bring the snacks? Couldn't the subcontractor whose office we will be meeting in have provided them? or maybe he could have asked his admin to do so? My suspicion, of course, is that he asked me because I'm the girl. I might be wrong, but I also know a little bit about what it's like to be a girl in a boy's world, and I think I'm probably right. It's not a big deal, but I wish I knew for sure why he asked me. Anyone else have anything to add about this?

Have breasts, bring bagels.

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  • 5 comments

[info]bodacia

July 18 2005, 23:47:23 UTC 6 years ago

Who's actually supposed to PAY for these muffins/bagels? Your firm? I certainly hope it's not coming out of your pocket!

[info]cherron

July 19 2005, 16:02:19 UTC 6 years ago

yeah, but...

The guy said he would reimburse me for the bagels, but all the same, I still don't know why the folks at the office where we're meeting can't do the honors. Oh well. It really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme o' things, not like being grabbed by the boob or something.

Deleted comment

[info]cherron

July 19 2005, 16:17:44 UTC 6 years ago

I've worked with geologists, too, and they tended to be a little younger and more "progressive" (whatever that word means) than some of the engineers, who work on these big huge port projects, that I work with these days. It's funny, though - a lot of these engineers are older than my dad and they treat me really sweetly - in some ways, it's almost hard to look at what is basically chivalrous/paternal-ish behavior in the mouth, as it were. Once I was picking my way across a construction site, and one of these older engineer guys offered me a hand and said, "here, let me help you out there, kiddo" - it was really sweet, but he would't have done it for a professional my age who also happened to be a guy. Is it possible to keep some of the nicer qualities of these old and entirely sexist traditions - chivalry in men, servitude in women - or at least not get too hung up on them - without compromising anyone's "liberation"? hmmm...

Oops, someone's at the door. I think it's Mills College with my excommunication papers.

[info]enosdrive

July 20 2005, 00:49:47 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, it sounds like it's cuz you're a woman; that was my first thought. What a pain, pain, pain, annoying pain in the arse. I wish I had something more intelligent to say than that. I'm constantly amazed when my boss (a man) makes coffee. It's like, wow. A man makin' coffee. Wow.
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