In her book "Feminist Fight Club," Jessica Bennett takes on the persistent issue of gender discrimination in the workplace. Despite significant progress since the 1970s, when 60 women sued Newsweek magazine for hiring only men, the fight for gender equality continues today. Bennett argues that modern sexism is often more subtle and casual, making it harder to identify and combat. This book serves as a guide for women navigating the complexities of workplace discrimination, offering practical advice and strategies to overcome common obstacles.
Introduction: The Ongoing Battle
Nearly 50 years after the groundbreaking Newsweek lawsuit, women still face numerous challenges in their professional lives. While overt discrimination has become less common, subtle forms of sexism persist, creating barriers to women's success and advancement. Bennett's book aims to help readers recognize these subtle forms of discrimination and provides actionable advice for dealing with them effectively.
Male Behaviors That Undermine Women in the Workplace
Verbal Domination
One of the most common ways men assert dominance over women in the workplace is through verbal tactics. These include:
Manterrupting: This occurs when men interrupt women while they're speaking, effectively silencing them. To combat this, Bennett advises women to keep talking when interrupted and to call out the behavior. She also suggests proposing no-interruption policies in the workplace.
Bropropriating: This happens when men take credit for ideas or work done by women. To counter this, women should confidently claim credit for their work and support their female colleagues when they see this happening.
Mansplaining: This involves men explaining things to women in a condescending manner, often about topics the women are already experts in. The best approach is to point out the behavior and stop the explanation quickly.
Nonverbal Belittlement
Men also undermine women through nonverbal means, such as:
- Expecting women to perform menial tasks like making coffee runs
- Assuming women will take notes during meetings
- Expecting women to clean up after group sessions
These expectations demean women by lowering their perceived value in the workplace. The solution is simple: women should refuse such requests and expectations.
Attributing Emotions to Biology
Another tactic men use to dismiss women's legitimate feelings is by attributing them to biology. For example, when a woman expresses frustration or anger, men might suggest she's "on her period." To counter this, women should clearly articulate the actual reasons for their emotions.
Women's Self-Sabotaging Behaviors
While external factors contribute significantly to workplace inequality, Bennett also points out that women sometimes engage in self-sabotaging behaviors:
Imposter Syndrome
Many women, regardless of their position or accomplishments, suffer from imposter syndrome – a persistent feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt. This can lead to undervaluing one's own abilities and contributions.
The Office Mom Persona
Some women adopt an overly modest and humble attitude about their accomplishments, taking on a nurturing "office mom" role. This can result in being undervalued at work.
Herfectionism
"Herfectionists" are women who put overwhelming pressure on themselves to be perfect in every aspect of their lives, both at work and at home. This often leads to burnout and exhaustion.
Strategies for Overcoming Self-Sabotage
To combat these self-sabotaging behaviors, Bennett suggests several strategies:
Practice power poses: Adopting confident body language, even for just a few minutes, can boost confidence and testosterone levels.
Focus on work-life balance: To avoid burnout, women should prioritize managing stress, limiting overtime, and making time for themselves.
Support other women: Instead of competing with female colleagues, women should focus on helping each other through hiring, promoting, and mentoring.
Challenges Faced by Women Leaders
Women in leadership positions often encounter unique challenges rooted in long-held stereotypes and biases:
Perception of Leadership as Inherently Male
Historically, leadership roles have been predominantly filled by men, leading to a widespread perception that leadership is a male characteristic. To change this, Bennett suggests that women leaders should:
- Collaborate more with other women
- Mentor and create professional networks
- Recognize that successful women are valuable resources for other females
Proving Intelligence
Women in leadership roles often have to prove their intelligence more frequently than their male counterparts. The best approach is to ignore doubters and let your work speak for itself.
The Glass Cliff
The "glass cliff" phenomenon occurs when a failing company hires a woman as a leader, only to blame her when the company's problems inevitably come to a head. To protect against this, women should:
- Keep detailed records of the company's situation before their arrival
- Ensure job responsibilities are clearly specified in contracts
The Impact of Speech Patterns on Perception
Bennett emphasizes that how women speak can significantly affect how they're perceived in the workplace. Common speech habits that can undermine a woman's authority include:
Filler words: Overusing words like "like" and "um" can detract from the importance of what's being said.
Excessive apologizing: Saying "sorry" too often, even in situations that don't warrant an apology, can make women appear less confident.
Hedging: Using phrases like "I'm not sure if this is right, but..." can make women sound uncertain, even when they're correct.
Upspeak: Ending statements with an upward inflection, making them sound like questions, can lower credibility.
Vocal fry: Elongating vowels, resulting in a creaky voice, can be associated with a lack of authority.
To address these issues, Bennett recommends:
- Recording yourself speaking and identifying your speech habits
- Practicing speaking with a strong, clear voice
- Consciously eliminating filler words and hedging phrases
- Avoiding upspeak and vocal fry in professional settings
Negotiation Challenges for Women
Women are generally less likely than men to negotiate for better pay and benefits, even when they deserve recognition for their work. To become better negotiators, Bennett suggests:
Keep track of contributions: Document your accomplishments and have colleagues back up your claims.
Use data: Utilize resources like Glassdoor to gather salary information for your industry and position.
Explain the benefits: Show how an increase in your salary will benefit the company.
Practice: Rehearse your negotiation tactics in front of a mirror to prepare for potential pushback.
Share knowledge: Once you've successfully negotiated, share your experience and strategies with other women.
Know your worth: Remember that you deserve fair compensation for your contributions.
The Importance of Female Solidarity
Throughout the book, Bennett emphasizes the crucial role of women supporting each other in the workplace. She encourages readers to:
- Create their own "feminist fight club" – a group of women in their industry who meet regularly to share experiences, information, and support
- Avoid becoming a "femenemy" – a woman who discredits or demeans other women to get ahead
- Actively support and promote other women in the workplace
Final Thoughts: Continuing the Fight
"Feminist Fight Club" serves as a rallying cry for women to recognize and combat the various forms of sexism they encounter in their professional lives. By addressing both external obstacles and internal self-sabotaging behaviors, Bennett provides a comprehensive guide for navigating the modern workplace.
The book's key messages include:
- Recognizing and calling out sexist behavior, whether it's verbal domination, nonverbal belittlement, or dismissive attitudes
- Overcoming self-sabotaging behaviors like imposter syndrome and perfectionism
- Developing strong leadership skills and challenging stereotypes about women in power
- Improving communication skills by eliminating undermining speech patterns
- Enhancing negotiation tactics to ensure fair compensation and recognition
- Fostering solidarity among women in the workplace
Bennett's approach combines humor, practical advice, and evidence-based strategies to empower women to take control of their professional lives. By working together and supporting one another, women can continue to make progress in the ongoing fight for gender equality in the workplace.
The author's call to action is clear: create your own feminist fight club, gather with other women in your industry, and work collectively to combat sexism and promote equality. By sharing experiences, exchanging critical information, and building a network of support, women can wage a more effective war against workplace discrimination.
As we move forward, it's essential to remember that the fight for gender equality is ongoing. While progress has been made since the days of the Newsweek lawsuit, there is still much work to be done. By recognizing subtle forms of sexism, addressing our own self-sabotaging behaviors, and supporting one another, women can continue to break down barriers and create more equitable workplaces for all.
Ultimately, "Feminist Fight Club" is not just a book about identifying problems – it's a practical guide for taking action. It empowers women to stand up for themselves and each other, to negotiate for what they deserve, and to challenge the status quo. By following Bennett's advice and strategies, women can become more effective advocates for themselves and for gender equality in the workplace.
As we continue to push for progress, it's important to remember that change doesn't happen overnight. It requires persistence, solidarity, and a willingness to speak up and take action. With the tools and strategies provided in "Feminist Fight Club," women are better equipped to face the challenges of the modern workplace and to create lasting change for themselves and future generations.
In the end, the message is clear: by working together and supporting one another, women can overcome the obstacles they face in the workplace and create a more equitable professional world for all. The fight may be ongoing, but with knowledge, solidarity, and determination, progress is not only possible – it's inevitable.