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I was recently on a tour of Italy, and our guide, a middle aged woman, did a pretty good job, I thought. She was always well organised, knowledgeable, professional, personable although kept a certain distance if you like. I didn't see her lose her cool or snap at anyone. Most seemed to have positive views on her. I mean she definitely did have her flaws, but no one's perfect, and i thought she did her job well and wasn't overly rude or difficult or anything, most people I spoke to had a positive view of her - except the two younger people my age who didn't like her, for lots of reasons, talking to much, apparently having no people skills, they'd also make fun of her etc.
It just got me thinking back in school about how most of the teachers the kids complained about were female ones. Well, okay, there were bad male ones, but it seemed the 'cool teachers' were, interestingly enough, all male. I'd always wondered whether young people have some sort of prejudice against middle aged women, especially those in authority. Granted, some of these teachers they had problems with really did have problems, but if a female teacher was too assertive she was liable to be labelled as bitchy. I'm sure this happens in the work environment too. I also remember my sister complaining about certain female teachers - they were always female.
I'm not gung-ho feminist, and this might just be my experience (you might have contrary ones). I'm not accusing anyone, or saying all people my generation are like this (plenty are not), but do you think there's any truth to what I'm saying? I mean sometimes I get the feeling women are not really respected - or listened to - to the same extent as men are.
Last edited by The Postman; 12-21-2013 at 08:46 AM..
Many of the younger generation have issues with any middle aged person in a position of authority.
Yes that's true, but I tend to notice many will tend to be more respectful of males, or think they're a 'cool dude', yet I don't hear the same with middle aged teachers etc..maybe it's because middle aged women are seen as menopausal, or bitchy or I don't know...
Yes to your observation. I also know that young kids generally like younger teachers, and don't want the older ones.
I suspect that younger guys especially see women mainly in a sexual way. If your guide had been hot they would not have cared about any of the stuff they complained about. But an older woman reminds them of mom, or of a teacher, and isn't sexually attractive, so she is criticized.
In my experienced as a middle aged women, we are invisible to men.
Yes to your observation. I also know that young kids generally like younger teachers, and don't want the older ones.
I suspect that younger guys especially see women mainly in a sexual way. If your guide had been hot they would not have cared about any of the stuff they complained about. But an older woman reminds them of mom, or of a teacher, and isn't sexually attractive, so she is criticized.
In my experienced as a middle aged women, we are invisible to men.
Yes, it seems that way. They have nothing to offer them, no reason for them to try to charm them. Unless of course there is, like good grades or whatnot.
Not all men, I hope you realise. There are plenty of men who appreciate what a mature woman can give and her experience/knowledge/opinion. I suppose the old stereotypes of older women being villains or witches (in countless movies, disney films, fairytales the heroine is a young maiden while the villain an older woman, evil aunt, bad mother, stepmother, old witch.etc). The whole association of ugliness with evil and beauty with virtue and innocence seems most pronounced when it comes to the female sex.
I've also noticed middle aged female politicians and celebrities are easy targets. They just seem to receive more than their fair share of criticism from both men and women.
It's not just people in my age range, it's everybody. And I think, like with most things, you can blame the media. Look the average representation of a middle-aged woman on television, and what does she look like? She's typically a nag, a b*tch, a clueless homebody, or a "tiger mom". Those stereotypes leak into real life, and suddenly you have people just assuming that all middle-aged women are like that. So, they're viewed with a negative bias.
Is your username a reference to that Kevin Costner movie, by the way?
Right now I am mentoring a professional group in town, and once a month we have to travel to various places throughout the day. It is a mixed group of male and female ranging from young 30s to late 50s. All highly educated business and professional leaders in the community.
There is a large group of 30-ish men in this group who are very fratty and tend to stick together throughout the day. Every time we get on the bus or eat a meal, you are supposed to sit with someone different to get to know them. But these guys will still find a way to get together and ignore the others who aren't like them, especially the older women.
If you MAKE them change up the seating arrangement on the bus, they will turn around and yell down the aisle at their bros like it's a junior high field trip.
They will attempt to talk to the older men, but the older women, a couple of whom are freaking CEOs, have NO relevance to them as evidenced by their actions.
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