Teryl @ Work

Possibly an extension of paternalism, benevolent sexism, and his ugly brother, hostile sexism, have become a subject of much study.   And then there is the stepbrother, ambivalent sexism, to add to the mix. Mentioned in Sheryl Sandberg's best seller Lean In, it is a topic that is definitely gaining momentum among women in business.    The fact that it is seen as higher in people in traditional marriages (man being the major breadwinner) is very interesting, particularly as the use of the word people is deliberate, both men and women in traditional marriages, are often seen as being benevolently sexist. Melanie Tannenbaum 's article has received a lot of commentary, and both the article and the comments are well worth reading.  Because it isn't simple, most times telling a woman she looks great is just a compliment!   But there are times when the line gets crossed. At a recent talk I gave, a young woman asked how she should handle being patronised, because ...