It may seem like the business world is one of the last bastions for gender bias and stereotyping (after all, women still do not get paid the same amount as men overall when it comes to compensation)—but in our home businesses, we have both an opportunity and an obligation to watch out for those biases and stereotyping and we might actually find that it costs us customers and money if we persist in sharing biases and stereotypes.
The thing is, most people will not tell us to our faces if they are offended by something sexist that we might accidentally say. People might nod or smile and then we think that they are in agreement, or we might not even realize that we have said something like “well, you know how men are” or “boys will be girls” or “isn’t that just like a woman?” Some of you may be wondering how those simple phrases can even be construed as gender biased at all. But, they are.
Making assumptions about talents, skills, capabilities, and interests based on gender when it comes to our business communications and interactions is just not good business. Several years ago, I was in a shop, talking with the proprietor and the person I was talking to tried to stop my short-haired daughter from using the women’s restroom. She as about 9 at the time and quite old enough to know which restroom was appropriate for her. When I intervened, the proprietor actually said something like, “Well, she doesn’t look like a girl with that short hair.” My daughter was upset and I was angry. Not only did we leave the shop, but I told everyone I knew about our experience in hopes of influencing them not to shop there either!
He may not have “meant anything” but his persistence in hanging on to a bias or stereotype seemed offensive and inappropriate to me. You never know who you are talking to and while you needn’t walk around on eggshells trying to be politically correct—perpetuating biases and stereotypes will NOT help your business.
Also: Living with Stereotypes: All Jews Have Money
Watch the Stereotypes in Business