Saturday, October 1, 2011

Does Society Lack Respect For "Feminine" Businesses?

I came across this article in Forbes recently.

The author ponders over why women entrepreneurs are underrepresented in businesses that cater to technology and instead, seem to be drawn to the "softer" businesses.

Um, yeah so? I fail to see how this is viewed as problematic.

Apparently these "soft" businesses such as fashion, accessories, cosmetics and the like are less legitimized, in the eyes of society, says the author. To be fair, she points out that women bring a lot to the intellectual table and she references a piece in the Harvard Business Review that indicates women are the key to success in business in general.

The issue I have is not so much that women are less likely to be involved in running "hard core" businesses, but rather, somehow, women who decide to pursue their own business in a "feminine" niche are less respected.

Who decided that? Is it true?

As a female entrepreneur, have you ever felt that you are viewed as "less than" because of your gender or choice of industry?

Sound off below!

"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." – Maya Angelou

4 comments:

  1. I love that quote! I find these kinds of articles very interesting :)

    xo, Samantha
    http://theadventuresoftwosams.blogspot.com/

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  2. Interesting article. Right now I'm in a feminine business but for 8 years I ran a printing business with my sister. People always said it was so cool that two women ran a male dominated business! We wereusually covered in ink and wearing our blue jeans and denim aprons.

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  3. Great article!

    To answer your question:

    The only thing I dislike is overt and unwanted male attention (staring, calling out, etc...). Then there was the time my dad and best friend and I got in a huge argument about women in the military and how men are more mentally prepared to watch their fellow soldier die than a woman could. I remember being ENRAGED. But now, 8 years or so later, it doesn't bother me as much anymore when we people make idiotic claims like that, because imho they just look ignorant.

    As for woman being thought of as 'less' for pursuing a creative career rather than a 'corporatey' career - I personally feel the prejudice on that follows anyone, man or woman, in pursuit of a creative career. No one really understands that the stuff you make is paying the bills. They all think of it as your 'little hobby'.

    I seem a little bit more bitter than I'm actually feeling, lol. The way I feel is that men and women really are equal. I truly don't feel, and never will feel, that a man is a superior being to myself. We're all human beings with the rights and freedoms. It's just thousands of years of stigma surrounding the idea of man and woman that needs to break away.

    Hmm.. apparently I had quite a lot to say!

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  4. @Sasha: I love what you had to say!

    You make an excellent point regarding either gender perhaps being thought of "less than" if they wish to pursue more artistic or creative careers. There is a tendency for others to "hobbify" (I love making up words) the notions of creative entrepreneurs. I've noticed that there also is a tendency for society to view those who work from home as having cushy or "easy" jobs. Just because you can wear your pj's to work does not mean that you work any less harder than those out there in the corporate world with their business suits. If anything, people working from home often have bigger challenges to overcome than those who do the traditional 9-5 gig.

    We need to work to break the gender stereotypes that surround work and career in general.

    Thank you for taking the time to comment...I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experiences.

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