Misogyny in Business

[QuietlyListening]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/08/07/what-its-like-raising-money-as-a-woman-in-tech/


As if starting your own business wasn't hard enough. It's interesting to think about all of the informal structures that govern what ostensibly should be a straightforward relationship. The hard question is, how does it change?

 

[Random Argument Man]

?When we get into a witch hunt around particular personalities, we lose sight of the problem we should be tackling.?

I couldn't summarize it better when it comes with feminists with a message. So many focus on the messenger than the message.

How does it change if things be straightforward? For once, it gives a clear line of communication so there's no misunderstanding. It's a shame that you need to, like she said, adopt a third gender in order to be taken seriously if you're a woman. Imagine that? a real gender has less status than fictive one...

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Modern business is inherently anti-feminine. I mean come on, you have to be ruthless to succeed. There's no room for softness or sympathy, beauty or balance. Venus is simply out of her element. Successful businesswomen will fully know this.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Modern business is inherently anti-feminine. I mean come on, you have to be ruthless to succeed. There's no room for softness or sympathy, beauty or balance. Venus is simply out of her element. Successful businesswomen will fully know this.

Why the hell are those female traits?

Men can be sympathetic and beautiful.

Of course they can. But they are nonetheless traits associated with the feminine - since the beginning of history when traits were personified as gods and goddesses, to modern times when we invoke a more scientific explanation. We no longer regard them as being under ownership of either biological sex, but they still exist in our minds as ideas.

 

[generals3]

First: Misogyny? Clearly you failed to grasp that word's meaning.

All i saw is a story of a woman with a rather awkward encounter with a really awkward investor (trying to hit on a woman is hardly "misogyny"). And that the male domination among investors results in a, how to put it, masculine "environment". (Boat trips with lots of women and stuff like that) And the latter is all but misogynistic.

Informal investment is informal. Don't expect the investors to care about your comfort zone. (It's their money which you want after all)


Only the comment from the tinder founder was actually an example of sexism.

As if starting your own business wasn't hard enough. It's interesting to think about all of the informal structures that govern what ostensibly should be a straightforward relationship. The hard question is, how does it change?

Actually investment can be a straightforward relationship. It depends on the investment type. Go to banks and you'll have a totally different structure . Business angels on the other hand will always have an informal structure (heck many Business Angels admit investing based on "gut feeling" in studies, it can't get any more informal than that). And VA's tend to be somewhere in between. (Although over here Venture Capital seems to be more formal than in the US, based on that article at least)

 

[Colour Scientist]

That was really interesting, I'd never given much thought to start-up companies without any support structures in place. It was actually a really well-written piece, no finger pointing, just a frank discussion of her experiences and the experiences of other women in a similar situation.

I think part of the solution is to open up discussion about the issue without it devolving into accusations that women simply don't try as hard as men. Hopefully, if the dialogue becomes more public, these people won't be able to act in a discriminatory way so freely.

It still baffles me that in 2014, people are so barefaced about it because they think they're untouchable and, I suppose, in many of these scenarios they kind of are.

 

[Albino Boo]

I would like to point out that the article is about Silicon Valley venture capitalists. Silicon valley is run by the Bros, who got rich very quickly in an all male environment. I have worked for the New York/London venture capitalist and they show a much smoother public face. Their private behavior isn't much different, but to survive in business in New York and London you have to more social skills. Silicon valley VCs are largely from the same background and thats their accepted behavior. In New York/London you find yourself partnered with Russian Oligarchs, Indian Billionaires, Korean Corporations and multi generational banking families. Offending some of these can lead you to being frozen out and costing you money.

 

[Autumnflame]

I didnt see that article expressing any hatred towards women.

A lack of respect and ethics maybe but no outright hatred.

and as someone said above business is harsh people will look for any advantage they can. and if it means coercing a female to to so they will. Just as readily as they will ruin a male business associate.

The workplace is a dog eat dog world and people will exploit you for their own gains.
its upto you to guard your self

 

[DementedSheep]

So business is a dog eat dog world now extends to justifying sexual harassment and treating women like shit even though this has nothing to do with the business itself? Lovely.

 

[Musette]

So business is dog eat dog world now extends to justifying sexual harassment and treating women like shit even though this has nothing to do with the business itself? Lovely.

Thank you. A lot of the "tough shit" responses here had me saying the same thing. I can take "dog-eat-dog" but not when it involves sexual harassment or other significantly different forms of treatment based solely on gender.

As someone planning to start my own business in about three years, this article make me incredibly nervous for when I start searching for VC. I can only hope that the area where I start my business doesn't follow the same norms as Silicon Valley.

 

[kurupt87]

You mean the richest and most powerful people in society are arseholes?!

This is utterly unexpected and has shaken my view of society and humanity in general.

 

[Verlander]

a)Silicon Valley does NOT represent "business". Silicon Valley is, by far, the least equal or mixed group of companies and corporations. There are very few people who are working there that can't be defined as "White Male", and even fewer in a position of power.

b) Change the situation - instead of trying to drum up business for a company, imagine she's trying to get donations for the school raffle, or is asking people for some help with her taxes. Does that make the story any more unbelievable? No, because "misogyny in business" isn't actually the issue. The issue is the objectification of women to men of a certain age and social class.

You will find that women are being hired at a rate of knots and are promoting up the ladder at record speeds all over the world. There may not be many female CEOs just yet, but give the ladies a chance - it takes most men over 30 years experience to get to that level, and they don't like vacating their spots if they can help it. Even with that situation, women are fast filling up board rooms.

Will a woman encounter challenges specific to her gender, often by men? Yes, of course, because short of executing all men and starting again, there are going to be lots of throwbacks and fools still kicking about. It'll take more than a few years to unseat several generations attitude towards women, but it will happen. The best thing men can do now is encourage, not be sexist dicks, and call out bullshit like redpill or MRA whenever we see it rear it's ridiculous head.

 

[Kevin McGechie]

Call me ignorant but I cannot see any inherent sexism in the Gentleman's actions, sure unprofessional and totally inappropriate. His actions were wrong but I view it in the same light as a homosexual male "making moves" on another male in the same situation, or a female approaching a male similarly.

 

[QuietlyListening]

Except men don't typically have to worry about having the moves put on them. The sexism isn't with the person himself, but with a culture that permits such behaviour.

 

[Majinash]

Except men don't typically have to worry about having the moves put on them.

But they do sometimes. I don't think culture treats their experience any different than women's in that situation. Maybe the reason why it happens to women more than men has nothing to do with a sexist culture, and something completely different?

 

[Weaver]

So, I used to work at a software startup and my CEO was a woman. Nothing ever happened like this. We met with at least a dozen VCs. So many I'd lost count to be honest.

She even said she felt very accepted in the startup incubator and tech community and wondered why there weren't many women in tech.

Maybe Canada really is just different.