Women of the Working World

Its unlikely that anyone who knows me could call me a feminist without laughing...I like women, I think we are great and I think there are issues but I'm not generally one to "get my panties in a twist" as they say.

But I've had some realizations today about how working in an office of predominantly women has changed a lot of unconcious stereotypes and expectations I may have had about the working world

While its true that there are more women in college than men, the idea of women in the working world always seemed like a source of mysticism and conflict to me. Maye because I know too many girls from high school going for the Mrs. degree, maybe I know too many people who hate their jobs, I don't know but in any case; I had no concept of what female leadership looked like outside of AIESEC and no concept of what working with a group of women more talented, successful and ambitious could be like. (AIESEC aside here)

Today as I power-walked to work (the buses were still not running due to an explosion...long story) I suddenly found myself hitting my stride among a group of five or six girls all just a few years older than me. Some were obviously corporate with flashy leather portfolios and fancy shoes, some were obviously non-profits with hemp bags and big rings, some were like me- probably indistinguishably social sector. It struck me that for the first time in my life I'm living in a place where almost all of the women around me have lives like mine or lives I aspire to.

Some are single and happy, some are married with kids while doing insanely brillant things at work, but no one is just working to work or pay the bills. These are girls with dreams, girls with careers, girls who want to go somewhere or who strive to be the most inspiring sorts of moms a kid could ever have.

Made me realize how much I've internalized over the years, how much I've associated men and work with power, leadership and success. This isn't a rap against dudes at all-I love dudes and I love how they work but at the same time I'm gaining a whole new appreciation for how women work and how kick ass they can be at it.

This whole post is making me feel a little cringy like I should throw in some sexist joke or something but I have to admit DC is rocking my world in more ways than one...

Next Post: The drugs, the 20% poverty rate and other such fun issues in the District