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BrownBag Series - March 2007 - Sexism or funny? - Summary
Groups of women discuss provocative topics at locations in academia and industry throughout BC. The March topic is: Is it sexism or is it funny? Here’s a summary of the discussion from the different locations. Thanks to Michelle La Haye for compiling the March BrownBag data.
Locations: UVic, UBC, BC Hydro, NRC, SFU
Summary
At first glance, this month’s topic seemed to be obvious but once the discussions got under way, what once seemed obvious became much murkier. Humour in one of its forms is about pointing out the differences between people but when does that go too far? When does it become demeaning or belittling? And finally, when does it become harassment?
These questions are answered by the different groups in several common ways. All groups ended up by saying that a joke may be appropriate but it depends on the people, how well they know each other, the setting in which it takes place and ultimately on personality. The important common theme to draw from this month’s discussion is that in the end, people don’t want to offend others.
University of Victoria
Attendees: 4
“Jokes or comments that some consider funny are inappropriate in the workplace or technical conferences.”
Academia is one of the better workplace environments – However inappropriate comments are more often made at technical conferences and even by keynote speakers – Sexism is more often encountered as exclusion from “social” events
Training – Not only men, but women need training on how to deal with sexist jokes or comments in the workplace – Workshops on how to move the focus to the offender could be very beneficial
University of British Columbia
Attendees: 14
“How do you deal with it without making it an issue or making yourself out to be flogging a dead horse?”
When is it a joke and when is it inappropriate? – Depends on the people involved, for example within a group of only women it could be funny – Depends on how well the people know each other, in that case the intention is clear – Depends on the formality of the session, for example at a conference it would be inappropriate
How do you respond? – Can you be assertive? – Will responding disrupt the good time? – Try to make a joke out of it – Turn the focus back onto the offender – Ask what the person meant by the comment – Important to think of some strategies as the moment will be over too quickly before you can think of something to say
In all cases, it is important to always use language that is respectful and polite.
BC Hydro
Attendees: 14 (12 women, 2 men)
“Harassment is often a patterned behaviour that can lead to detrimental consequences or severe enough impact.”
In the workplace – Respect for women in the workplace had improved over the last 20 years – Most attendees felt BC Hydro was a good place to work for women but there still exists some more subtle discrimination – Even outside the office, when on business, must always be respectful, however can differentiate between office environment and field environment – It is the manager’s role to setup a good working environment by modelling appropriate behaviour. The manager needs to keep communication open and respond to situations.
When and how to react – Let the person know that a certain behaviour is inappropriate by either speaking to them directly or going to the manager – Can start by using humour to point out the person’s error in judgement. Be non-confrontational. Use a private discussion about the event to clarify why it was inappropriate.
National Research Council
Attendees: 22 (18 women, 4 men)
“The kinds of things that evoke laughter from you may not appear funny to your friends, neighbours or colleagues at work. Our sense of humour is as unique as we are individuals.”
Whose responsibility is it when someone takes offence to a joke you tell or something you say? – Responsibility is on the person telling the joke or making the comment to be aware – Also, responsibility of the person finding it offensive to clarify the issue
How do we know if we are “crossing the acceptable line” of what is considered appropriate or tasteful humour? – Depends on the context (work, social, familiarity of members, size of group etc.) – If you are unsure that something could offend someone, don’t say it
What is the role of gender and culture? – Depends on the individual. Things that play a role include
o Personal preferences, different life styles and moods
o Age
o Sex
o Religion
o Different levels of tolerance
o Generational (age) due to a change in standards, evolution
o Reiteration of the same joke
o Familiarity with the language in which the jokes are made
o Size of the group
o Cultural or else multicultural factor
o Personal judgment
o Level of familiarity with each of the members in a group
Why should we be concerned about jokes in the workplace or at school? – Perception that older generations make more jokes that could be offensive than younger generations – A joke is a message from the individual or a reflection of society’s issues (not all jokes should be avoided) – Sometimes jokes bring some truth to them and people sometimes don’t like to hear truths – Worrying too much about the issue can make the workplace or social environment uncomfortable – Jokes can make our lives more enjoyable or bearable
Simon Fraser University
Attendees: 4
“Women are different by nature and wouldn’t put down someone for the sake of a joke.”
What is a joke and when is it sexist? – No clear consensus on what constituted a joke and what was sexism – If it offends then it is not funny
Are women’s natures different? – Are women more easily offended? – Do men not take things so personally? – Women don’t want to put down people, so wouldn’t make offensive jokes
Is there a perception that a joke about a woman is sexist because being a woman is somehow “negative” whereas it is “better” to be a man? – This was a difficult question and left a food for thought.
How does culture affect allowable jokes? – Two women from different backgrounds said the men they have worked with would not make jokes when women were part of the group, they didn’t know what would happen if there were no women – Academic culture is also more sensitive to the issues and none of the group had been in a situation where inappropriate behaviour occurred.
BrownBag Series - February 2007 - Negotiating a Move - Summary
Groups of women discuss provocative topics at locations in academia and industry throughout BC. February’s topic is: What do you do when you are offered a job in an area where your partner doesn’t want to live?
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BrownBag Series - January 2007 - Baby Time? - Summary
Groups of women discuss provocative topics at locations in academia and industry throughout BC. January’s topic is: When is the best time to have a baby?
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SCWIST Wishes All a Happy Holiday Season!
All the best for 2007!
BrownBag Series - November 2006 - Power and Success? Harder to Find a Partner? - Summary
Groups of women discuss provocative topics at locations in academia and industry throughout BC. November’s topic is: Status, credentials, power, success: do all these things make it easier or harder to find a partner? Here’s a summary of the discussion from the different locations.
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BrownBag Series- October 2006 - Equality in Science? - Summary
Groups of women discuss provocative topics at locations in academia and industry throughout BC. October’s topic was about the statement “Women have achieved equality in science and technology”. Here’s a summary of the discussion from the different locations.
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SCWIST Newsletter July 2006
Read the latest edition of SCWIST News: SCWIST-News-2006-July.pdf
