And to suggest that we should go along with it rather than try to work and/or educate out of it is even more wrong.
I was not aware that anyone on this thread, and myself most especially ever made any such suggestion. Could provide a quote in support of the comment... or clarify to whom it refers.
Ardy
Sorry, Ardy
but here's your quote:
And, as a corollary, any woman who wants to be more successful would spend a reasonable amount of effort and resources seeking to maximize her attractiveness as a way of enhancing her competitive positioning in a broad range of activities.
This can very easily be read as "and any woman who knows what's good for her will get with the program."
Making a reasonable effort can sometimes be a sort of code word, after all. To me, a reasonable effort at work means neat, clean, and professionally dressed. It does NOT mean fashionable; it does NOT mean regular visits to a salon, it does not mean expensive facials, carefully styled hair, or tattooed eyeliner (yes, this is not only possible, but fairly common.)
I "get away" with my approach because I am not in sales, I don't deal with the top brass on a regular basis, and I don't deal with the press. If any of those things were true, the standards would be higher (as would, most likely, my heels.)
So "making oneself attractive" is a sliding scale.
And speaking of code (!) how many of us, as rebellious young women, were told by our mothers "Oh, if you would only
do something with yourself/your hair/your weight!" (I've also known women who got these remarks from abusive husbands and/or fathers.) When one tells a woman to "make an effort" one is treading on thin ice that is already heavily cracked by a long parade of people who think they have a right to say how she should look. (It's not right. It's just the way it is.)
(Note to other readers: Ardy and I have been discussing this stuff for a long time and we can poke each other pretty hard. There is no personal animosity - and if we feel either of us has gone too far apologies and requests for additional explanation are quick in PM.)
