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A PSA for Well Meaning Coworkers This International Women's Day

jess unrein on March 08, 2019

I usually try not to post twice in one day, but this is timely. My standup this morning started with the following exchange. Dude: Oh, yeah, Carol...
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Ry

"Don't ask women or nonbinary people what they have against women or why they hate women, even in jest" goddd this one kills me. Honestly: I don't know a single afab trans person who hasn't agonized over whether or not living the way that feels most comfortable and honest is just internalized misogyny, and it's excruciating to have that trotted out as a "funny" "joke".

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Ben Dowen

Thank you for sharing. I'm an ally looking for more ways to be supportive, so advice like this is helpful. I hope I wouldn't make these mistakes myself, but now I'm more aware I can be mindful to watch our for others making them!

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Hannah Balenda • Edited

"1.) Don't ask women why they are or aren't participating in a woman focused event. Not all women focused events are safe for every woman, and not every woman wants to center her career on her gender. This is a rude and uncomfortable question." <-- this!! We shouldn't have to represent "our people" or whatever. We just wanna work. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today, the community is better for it.

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Ben Halpern

Thanks for this post Jess

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jess unrein

I'm worried it might be a bit too salty, but this was a very irritating way to start my morning. I hadn't even had coffee yet. :\

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Andrei Andreev

Having lived with a non-binary partner for a decade... these are super clear and useful. Thank you!

And, I hear you about the extra and sometimes exhausting effort to educate and correct everyone around you especially in a non-aware culture.

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Isa Levine

thanks for writing this--i really needed to read this today <3