Being a Woman in a Male Workplace

It is so difficult to do anything as a woman, I know not as hard as it used to be, thankfully. However, there is still a divide; especially in the corporate world. I know I want to work my way up the ladder as far as I can go, but that’s not a very common goal to achieve. It was always very difficult in school, boys were very competitive with group activities, p.e. activities, anything we did, they had to be number one. It was very discouraging, because I already had to work twice as hard as other kids to study and do homework, now I had to add on competing with boys too…But, I didn’t let that stop me, just made me work harder. I had beat out two hundred students (a good majority were boys) when I tried out for the twelve seated middle school percussion; that was a big confidence booster, one that was needed. Middle school wasn’t too bad, since it was bigger, and we rotated classes each period. High school was very competitive; I went to a science and engineering magnet school for my first two years, that was interesting… Then the last two years weren’t as difficult, per say with other kids, just competing with my self mentally; trying to push myself more. College is completely different, it’s the outside aspect of college that is competitive - the job hunt. 

I was interning over the summer at Sherwin Williams, and I was one of two girls there, the assistant manager being the other female worker. This makes for very interesting times; jokes guys tell around other guys, teasing, competing in sales for the day, racing to take someones order, the list goes on. Some days are much more difficult than others, and some are great, it’s never going to be perfect. As much as I feel like I have gained six new brothers, I have gained six new brothers! They always look out for me when contractors or painters get too friendly, help when I have a big order, or need help answering questions. They’re the best workers I have ever had. Now with all that said, it is still very much a male dominated workplace. Painters always go to the guys first, when you ask if they have been helped, they say yes, even though they haven't been; they’re waiting for a male worker to help them. It gets old for sure, but my male coworkers do an excellent job about saying they’re busy, but I can help them, or they’ll take the order and give it to me since I spoke with them first. If you have the right workers/coworkers/boss you won’t notice too much of a divide.

What all this has taught me, isn’t that women aren’t as good as men. Quite the opposite. This has taught me how to be confident, stand firm, and not be timid. I have learned how to handle situations with a “male” attitude, and how that being a female gives me so many more advantages than men. Plus it is more impressive when you carry out a twenty plus gallon order by yourself, or silently come from behind in sales to whoop all the guys behinds. I know at this stage it is very different than in corporate, but the main point is you have to know how to read people. Everyone operates differently, and that has nothing to do with gender. Also, somethings should just be left up to men, and I am completely okay with that. You just need to stand firm, have confidence, and take charge. It’s okay to receive help sometimes, and it’s also okay to say that’s not your role. It’s about balance and compromise. Everything works out in the end, for a reason; you’ll see how and why later on.