STRESS AND THE WORKING WOMAN: NOT JUST ONE OF THE GUYS
Whether a woman is married or not, childless or not, the nature of the on-the-job stress is part of what separates the "girls" from the "guys." The sources of this stress are many, but the most prevalent are the fear of success and the problem of sexism.
The handicapping effect of the fear of success has been widely analyzed. It is real. Given society's emphasis on appearance and passivity in females, working women may fear that career or job success will make them less attractive. Unfortunately, research bears them out. Even more unfortunately, this stereotyping is practiced by women as well as men. It's not uncommon to find people automatically labeling feminists as "ugly." In reality, feminists are not self-selected for looks—they cover the full range of possible appearances. And in one study written character sketches were evaluated by both male and female subjects: assertive women were judged as less likable than passive women by both sexes.
The origins of women's fear of success, then, are not mysterious. are personal to each individual. Sexism, however, is universal and affects us all in the same ways.
Sexism comes in many forms, some subtle, some overt.
Demeaning comments depicting women as sex objects.
Vulgar jokes meant to embarrass women and place them in a position of being a spoilsport if they object, and feeling humiliated if they don't.
Condescension by men, whatever their relative position or rank in the office; intimidation by tone.
Misuse of "occupational power" by men who will make sexual innuendos and advances toward women who lack job security or union protection.
Job discrimination, precipitating two types of stress: the stress of gathering evidence and seeking legal redress, and the stress of deciding whether or not to pursue that course.
Expressions of domination-aggression, which can lower our sense of worth unless addressed.
As Linda was given more executive power in her media job, her second-in-command more frequently rolled up the morning newspaper and "playfully" tapped her behind with it as she passed his desk. "Just kidding," he would say when she expressed annoyance. "You're too sensitive, Linda." She finally returned the gesture as he entered a board meeting. "Just kidding," she sweetly intoned. You can guess the rest.
There is a direct link between sexism and female stress. As our sense of control is lowered, our sense of stress is increased, and the very focus of sexism is the lowering of women's control over their own lives. We feel that we have little power to influence our occupational destiny. Exposure to sexism fosters stress, and fighting sexism increases it. It's a real "catch-22" situation.
