The White House Boys' Club: Obama Has a Woman Problem

Time ^ | 9/21/2011 | Amy Sullivan

[comebacknewt]

Nearly every professional woman has had the experience of saying something in a meeting, receiving no response, and then listening as a male colleague offers the same thought or suggestion minutes later to great acclaim. The first time it happens, she feels slightly foolish and is a little unsettled. Did I say that out loud or just in my head? Maybe he made the point better than I did. The second time it happens, she gets frustrated. The third time, she gets angry.

Look at the senior women meeting with Obama in this White House photo at a dinner they called to discuss their invisibility. Look at their faces and body language. They are pissed off.

[Ann Archy]

That pic shows just what a GIRLY GUY our boy president really is!!!

[USS Alaska]

Nearly every professional woman has had the experience of saying something in a meeting, receiving no response, and then listening as a male colleague offers the same thought or suggestion minutes later to great acclaim.

That's bullshit in the field of professional sales people.

I've worked for women that were VPs of Sales, CEOs, and Sales Managers.

Rather than discrimination, they had EARNED our respect, and were in charge because of their skills not their gender.

In the early 2000s, I earned in the upper six figures while working for a female VP of sales and she was a one of the great closers in major deals.

When she spoke, it was like E.F.Hutton, everyone listened.

[bvw]

All just Team Hillary on the attack. Geesh folks it’s so kinda like O B V I O U S.

[Chickensoup]

Nearly every professional woman has had the experience of saying something in a meeting, receiving no response, and then listening as a male colleague offers the same thought or suggestion minutes later to great acclaim. The first time it happens, she feels slightly foolish and is a little unsettled. Did I say that out loud or just in my head? Maybe he made the point better than I did. The second time it happens, she gets frustrated. The third time, she gets angry.\

Worked with men in a variety of settings. Never did this happen to me, whether I was the only woman in the room, or working in a mixed group on a board. How one commands a meeting is important. When playing with the big boys one needs to take up as much room as a big boy...but different.

[Lady Lucky]

I don’t see anybody angry in that photo, but — would agree with the original premise that women can get dead silence for saying something and then hear a man get approval for the same thing.

In a mostly male situation, the inner ape kicks in. The man knows how to behave and how to think in his male group, and he’s probably used to conducting business as a male in a male group. You throw in a woman and he can get confused. When he’s confused or conflicted or required to think on two rails, he will get cagey and refrain from comment. There is also the danger of offending a female with freewheeling comment. Best to shut up.

And there’s another factor that men probably take into account about the woman at the table: whether she’s making more or less money than he is, and whether it’s deserved. Even aside from gender, he’s likely to think: “I’m not going to stick my neck out and give credit to a greenhorn (or token hire); could be I’m missing something; let someone else praise her if it’s so brilliant.”

Also, in some neanderthal camps, the males will later tease the person who supported the female, and make accusations about his impure motives.

Gender is deeper than speech. We’ve been doing it far longer.

I’m not saying you mustn’t ever put a woman in the locker room, when the men have to strategize about the upcoming boar hunt. Just saying it adds to their difficulty, always did, always will.

[TalonDJ]

When playing with the big boys one needs to take up as much room as a big boy...but different.

Very true. Women that get ignored (when I have seen it happen) do a bad job of conveying their ideas. A man saying things in the same way would also get ignored. The subtle stuff can make all the difference in how your ideas get across.

[TalonDJ]

I should clarify that I meant "they do a bad job conveying their ideas in a way a man is likely to pay attention too"

[Lady Lucky]

Rather than discrimination, they had EARNED our respect, and were in charge because of their skills not their gender.

Yes! In some work environments, that still matters most. Not every place runs on merit, however. We're talking about the Obama White House, here. Dishonest, conniving, communistic, relativistic, knaves all. Court of the gypsies.

[Batrachian]

"The White House Boys' Club: Obama Has a Woman Problem"

Everyone's got a woman problem. That's the nature of the beast. Liberals always get a pass.

[painter]

The body language says it all. Only Valerie Jarrett is enamored with the president. The rest of the women look angry.

They are jealous because Valerie has all the influence with obama.

[newzjunkey]

Misogyny was evident from the campaign run against Hillary.

He's the correct party so this will amount to nothing. NOW will keep quiet.