My friend Karen is a chiropractor whose terrific daughter, Adrienne, just graduated from West Point. The graduation festivities lasted for a full week and the commencement speaker was Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The week included a formal ball on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Graduates were encouraged to invite their parents, so Karen got all dolled up in a full-length gown and went to the ball. (Getting her dressed and out the door of our Brooklyn apartment building was reminiscent of the Cinderella story, but without the pumpkin coach.)
At the event, the mother of each graduate was given a long-stemmed red rose when she picked up her name card. Every mother except Karen, that is. Both she and Adrienne were mystified as to why Karen had been overlooked. Finally Adrienne figured it out. “I’ve got it, mom! Your nametag says Dr. Thomas, so they assumed you were a man.”
-- Bonnie McEwan
West Point IS after all one of the last great bastions of old-boy-network. And while they are proud of female friends and family who have a Dr. designation, I think it will be a while before they stop making these assumptions. I worked at the National Defense University, and it is definitely part of the culture - for women and men both.
this is too sad.
Previous Entries
view archives|rss- Spirituality, Religiousness and Alcoholism Treatment: Comparing Outcomes for Black and White ClientsAug 09, 2010
- Interview with Mireille Grangenois, Publisher, Chronicle of PhilanthropyJun 11, 2010
- Personal Branding in Social MediaMay 08, 2010
- On LeadershipMar 30, 2010
- Gender Studies Conference at The New SchoolMar 02, 2010
Archives By Month
- August 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- March 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
Mar 28, 2010
so many men understand to use gun…