"A senior male coworker frequently belittled me - specifically by repeatedly telling me how to do simple tasks that I'd shown proficiency at for years (and that frankly a child could learn). He turned to this tactic mainly when called out for his incomplete / incorrect work."
"As a professional photographer for twenty years, on photo-shoots, editors and clients walk right past me “looking for the photographer”. They assume because I am a woman, I'm the makeup artist.
"
"My new manager told me that he saw my role as "administrative" - scheduling meetings, coordinating social engagements and stocking supplies. At the time I was leading Operations for a $5B business. After I left for another role he requested a male backfill."
"A leader in our agency referred to a creative concept as gay. Which might have been ok if they meant homosexual but instead they just meant to say it was bad."
"You chose to not put me on a sports brand because of my gender despite the knowledge of my athletic background and my past career experience working on a major sporting event."
"English is my second language. I am an educator. I have been the Equity Committee’s chair for six years in my school. During this time, four other people have taken intermittently the co-chair position. All of them assumed that I am uncomfortable taking notes during meetings.
"
"I told my supervisor I was being treated for depression to explain the changes in my demeanor at work and elicit his support. A few months later, I called out sick. When I returned to work, he said with a sneer, Were you really sick? Or was it just your 'depression'?
"
"One time during a work mixer I was introducing myself to a few clients in the advertising industry. Someone made a comment which implied that I worked closely with the few POC at the company."
"I was told I was not collaborative and a good 'culture fit' when I walked in front of my male co-presenter on stage to better engage with an audience of 150 people."
"I worked in a small ad agency with some Ad tech Properties. I was an Account Executive coming into a new role. I stepped away to grab another executive. I was told that someone had made a comment about being the hood kid from Compton."
"My male CEO continually and frequently would disagree with me before finishing a sentence as my experience wasn't as valid as his. He told me this in a 121."
"A coworker made it a point to state that I "have an accent" even though I speak English fluently and it's one of 3 languages I speak. This coworker even admitted that I write better than anyone else on the team."
"When I interviewed for a new position managing a physician practice the doctor insisted on interviewing me himself. He asked me about my family life (was I married — did I have children — etc) and persisted even after I told him that he legally couldn’t ask me those questions."
"I was told by my supervisor that I was too aggressive and too strong in expressing my opinion and advocating for my staff. I believe my behavior was judged based on the fact that I was a woman. No male manager was ever told this."
"I was about to pitch a project about soccer to a client. I have been a huge athlete my whole life, and was so excited. I created the work, but was not allowed to present my own work to the client, because I was told by my account manager they didn't want any gringas in the meeting."
"I applied for a job at a famous cafe. After chatting with the manager, I was sent to the basement to meet the owner. There I found a white man sitting alone. He asked if I had waitressing experience (no). Then he looked over my body, up and down very slowly, and said That's OK."
"Our company CEO emailed me to curtly request that I bring him a coffee. I had spoken with him twice since I joined the company in a business development role. His assistant and I were the only two women of color at the company, and she was out that day."
"I bring up our lack of diversity on our team again and again - review after review with my manager - and no change. After announcing I was leaving my manager was shocked and repeatedly asked why I was leaving if I was doing great and had been given a raise. Why? Lack of diversity."
"I'm judged for a role based on years experience. What about quality of experience or depth of experience? Can you guarantee that 'years' of experience leads to better hires? No."
"When leadership would call me a creative director but refused to give me the title and compensation that goes with it — all the while formally promoting my male counterparts."
"I was told 'You're not who I hired' to my face, simply because I dared to question processes put in place that didn't help our clients but further confuse them."
"When you use the expression “that’s gay” to describe a negative situation — experience or thing — because I identify as gay and therefore you were saying I am less than or you see me in a negative."
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