The March 2006 edition of Glamour appeared in my mailbox a few days ago and I was encouraged to see a cover blurb touting "7 reasons you will succeed at work". (Wait just a sec...were there 7 reasons I wouldn't?) All sarcasm aside, the article turned out to be pretty interesting after all. I'm never quite sure what I'll get with Glamour; to be totally honest I subscribed to the magazine because I wanted some "brain fluff" in my life, and from time to time I've actually seen some insightful medical and political pieces come through their publication as well.
Author Rory Evans has pulled in some great quotes from some pretty heavy hitters (uh, yeah, Suze Orman, Christine Todd Whitman, Maureen Dowd and former Irish President Mary Robinson most definitely counts as heavy hitters!) and brought it all together in a nice definitive list of seven things we gals supposedly have going for us at work.
My two concerns with this piece are that once again, we're dealing with overall stereotypes, just like the marketing to women discussion that was up recently. Why do I say that? Not all women "play fair" or "trust their guts" at work...I have worked with women who might as well literally have stuck a knife in my back for as "fair" as they played at work. *ahem* The upside of that issue, however, is technically handled by a comment at the beginning of the piece, stating: "Nor is Glamour suggesting that as women we all act the same way at work." Well, at least they recognized that just as some men work the good ol' boy network, some women work the "cross me and I'll slit your career-oriented throat, girlfriend" line.
The second concern I have here is the photography. Yes, this is Glamour, so we're not dealing with a publication that is totally career-focused and intent on promoting professionalism or business-building. But am I the only one who sees the irony in talking about women being paid less than men right across from a full page shot of a woman with tousled hair, ruby lips and a sexy little smidge of lace sticking out of her suit surrounded by hot young hunks (one of whom appears to be sniffing said hair...or looking down her blouse...I'm not certain, but either way it's a harrassment suit waiting to happen in some companies). Flip the page and you've got two guys oggling the "career woman" with the hair blowing in the office breeze and her skirt unbuttoned (try sitting in a corporate meeting in that, sister, and you'll definitely have their attention...but do you WANT it?).
My two cents: if your writer is talking about women being better able to multitask, be diplomatic, show empathy and emotion and build relationships, try getting the photos editor to cough up some shots of women in truly professional attire brainstorming at a coed conference table or working at a desk with shots of their family near at hand for those rough moments in the day. Yes, admittedly those of us who read Glamour do so because we want to see pretty people doing things that make us think our life can be glamourous too; so throw me something that will make me think "wow, that is the suit I'm buying for spring!" instead of "I would so not go to work like that" or "Mister, you are seriously invading my space bubble."
That said, the piece is good for the ego and has some great quotes to tack up on your cork board or to copy into your journal to glance at for inspiration. And the "mama bear" comment from an LA talent agent, well, that one just cracked me up...been there, done that.
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