It saddens me so much that the old felon has frightened so many companies into abolishing or hiding their efforts at improving the workspace. I am glad to have retired, because I would not like where it is heading. Now consider that I have plenty of privilege to my credit. All I lack is not being male and not being Christian. Would my experience be any different in the workspace of today? Let’s pretend I have a new job. I look around the office and see a boring homogeneity. All the bosses are white men. There are few other women, and they are all young and very good looking. There are no people of colour, no one with foreign accents and no one looks happy to meet me. I hear a few guys laughing and muttering something about an old lady, presumably me. So much for diversity. I think back to my past workplaces, and think of all the friends I would have never met because they were not young white and male.
Then there’s the matter of pay. Women never achieved equity in that, despite efforts and past initiatives. now, I’ll be lucky to earn half what a similarly-qualified man does. The glass ceiling is much thicker and lower now.
I’m in my first department meeting. The boss asks for suggestions and I have something. I raise my hand. He never acknowledges me. Oh, right. Only men have good ideas.
The only time I am acknowledged is when I volunteer to work on Christmas. I’ll take another day off—the 21st. No one asks why then, but I’m ok with that. I’ve never shared my pagan roots at work. No workplace seemed that inclusive.
No good can come of this. It ensures mediocrity because the pool of potential hires I’d less than half of what it was. Hoe is this making anything great?
Tales from the jolly bungalow 