Sunday, October 5, 2014

Gender Steryotypes Still Prevalent in the 21st Century

Julia Pierson resigned from her role as the Director of the United States Secret Service, after 30 years of devotion.  While Director, The service made several huge mistakes that could not be over looked, including letting an armed intruder break into the White House, making it through three rooms before being apprehended.  In addition, another event was reported that a private contractor with a concealed gun had been cleared to share the same elevator with President Obama. Pierson had failed to acknowledge the President of the situation, even though she had the opportunity.  These incredibly dangerous mistakes were not excusable by Pierson. I don't disagree with her resignation, although I do not agree with Bryce Covert--that being a woman had anything to do with Pierson's failure.

Women are "thought to have qualities associated with cleaning up messes," Covert explains, so when a company's success begins to plummet, many times a woman will be brought in to 'clean up'. For hundreds of years, women were percieved as the cooks and cleaners of the household. It wasn't until the 1960's that women actually had a fair chance at getting a job in the work force. We say times have changed, although men still see us as the "cleaners" of the world, picking up after the messes they've made. Pierson was the first woman to become the director of the Social Service in its "149-year history," and will probably be the last due to her failure.

People fail all the time...including men. Why is it that when a woman fails, the fact that she in a WOMAN is brought up? Is it fair to judge a person's actions based on their gender?

1 comment:

  1. Camille- I find this post really interesting. I also read about Pierson resigning from her position, but I was unaware that some thought being a woman somehow contributed to her resignment. I agree with you, I find it completely ridiculous that her gender is being brought up when discussing her "failure". I don't think it's fair to judge her actions based on her gender. Although I think it was probably a good decision that she resigned, I don't think the fact that she is a woman should have been mentioned.

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