So it is time again for the annual United way donation drive. As I have stated before one event the company I work for does is to take donations to make the few remaining male supervisors and managers wear "traditional" female dress for the day. They then parade the men in drag around to be hooted and leered at by the mostly female employees. Its pretty sad and not something the males appear to really enjoy (at least not many of them).
Every year I am offended by this event and try and hide my disdain since I need the insurance the company offers I have stayed silent on the matter.
However this year the local media celebrity/spokesman gave a speech promoting the over all fund campaign and also made the comment that the local DV shelter, which is a possible recipient of the donated money, had reported that they receive upto 1200 calls a month. He didn't say they took 1200 domestic violence calls just that they took 1200 calls. Hell it could have been 600 wrong number calls for pizza delivery but the implied message is of course that they took 1200 calls of domestic violence against women. Also 1200 calls a month would be about 5% of the local population calling in if I am not mistaken.
This statement along with the added frustration of the "drag queen march" is seriously pushing me to write a letter to the plants general manager and the local director for the United Way to explain why I find these things so offensive and will not be donating any money.
I know the United way has done some other sexist events in other cities like the "average man dating thing" which includes astronauts and nas-car drivers as everyday sort of men.
I am seriously teetering here back and forth. The money isn't that important as I could get a job easily making the same amount of money its the insurance that would bite. Also the state I live in is a right to work state which simply means a right to be fired for no reason and we don't care state.
Not sure yet what I am going to do. Suggestions and advice are much appreciated and I will let everyone know how it turns out.
I just think it is time to take a stand on such things. I am sick of the double standards.
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I can guarantee the director won't give a damn. Thats one seriously fucked up quandary.
ReplyDeletePerhaps an anonymous letter?
ReplyDeleteI mean, it really depends how much of a point you want to drive home. Erring on the side of professionalism (ie: going with the flow), I wouldn't risk your insurance/pay in a one-shot deal. That is, an angry letter to be met with contempt and the like. Stuff like that can really snowball.
If it (the drag queening) really bothers you, I would talk to people about it in an offhanded manner. That is, bring it up, but don't go overboard with your sharing your disgust. I'd wager a lot of people don't enjoy the scene, either.
You are in fact correct Mr. M there are several people... mostly women (of course I work with mostly women) who do not like it.
ReplyDeleteI have so far planned to be very respectful in the letter I do not wish to be rude or really make a public scene but I do think it is time to express my dis-satisfaction with such a sexist event.
You should keep your mouth shut. Don't give any excuses. Your reasons are your own, and no one cares anyway.
ReplyDeleteYour managers don't mind their own degradation. Until they do, this won't change. I expect they are trained to go along with this sort of thing and fear losing their jobs if they do not. Or worse, they might be accused of not being a team player. Or scoweled at for not going along with harmless fun to support a charity. You don't mention the part whare this bahavior actually translates into more money for a charity, but I am sure it must work on some level.
Saying the money doesn't matter is disingenuous. Health insurance benefits have a direct cash value, in what it would cost you to replace it out of pocket.
My local radio station is inundated with United way PSAs. It is enough to make me turn the channel to mostly static. "Live United".
My other favorite thing to be grumpy about is bake sales at a government office building to raise money. The money will be used to sponsor the annual picnic, for people who all have paying jobs, and can afford to pay for their own damn picnic. And the people operating the bakesale, are full time government employees, selling cookies instead of the job they get paid to do.
Yes PH there is of course money involved.
ReplyDeleteYou also have a valid point if they won't stand up for themselves why should I?
Hmmmmm now I have to think about this more.