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Path: utzoo!watmath!jamcmullan
From: jamcmullan@watmath.UUCP (Judy McMullan)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Feminism and a double standard(?)
Message-ID: <6988@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-Feb-84 14:11:31 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.6988
Posted: Wed Feb 22 14:11:31 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 23-Feb-84 04:11:04 EST
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 27

     >...Ms. X made a pitch to an older man who was interested in our
     >product.  What amazed me was that Ms. X used blatant sexuality as
     >a tool to cajole the customer.  It was smooth, obvious and
     >planned.  Also, the customer seemed to really soak it up;  he
     >showed every indication of letting Ms. X's methods be an
     >influence on his decision making. ...  I was bothered by what I
     >considered the unprofessionalism of both Ms. X and the customer.
     >What really irked me, however, was the double standard I
     >perceived in Ms. X's behavior. ... I have seen plenty of men use
     >these same tactics on women business associates. ...

A very tricky situation. I tend to avoid using this tactic because I don't
want to deal with the possible consequences (e.g. customer tries to date
me and then I must make him mad by rejecting him). I am not in marketing,
though. They seem to use whatever they can to influence customers!

Perhaps she has the attitude that if the customer is willing fall for
this sort of thing, it is his own fault for letting himself be "used" this way.
If she can walk the balance, more power to her!

Personally, I avoid any indication that I am a "sex object", at work. I try
to stay "professional" (or as professional as one can be wearing a "Great
Canadian Bicycle Rally" t-shirt and jeans with one embarrassing hole -- I'm
gonna buy some new ones soon, honest -- it's just that I hate shopping).

   --from the sssstickkky keyboard of J.A.M.
   ...!{allegra|decvax}!watmath!jamcmullan