My writing friend Sheri McConnell from the National Assoc. of Women Writers contacted me the other day and wondered how I felt about what she's termed the "glass ceiling" on the net. Here's her post (I have permission to repost in its entirety)... and her question:
I just launched my 4th company. After about 2 months of building it and then another 2 months of prelaunching it, I definitely have some observations to share.
AND I would LOVE to hear what you think. And please correct me if you think I am wrong–I really hope that I am.
Even with the many, many organizations that women have formed out on the Internet to empower other women, I do see a “glass ceiling” has formed.
Well known male Internet experts are partnering with each other and leaving out the women. I just got off a Seth Godin teleseminar today with a number of male powerhouses–they were inspiring but where was the female perspective?
How is it I can get a woman who has been on Oprah twice to fly across the country to speak for one of my companies, but I can’t get the over dozen or so male Internet experts I contacted to speak for My Millionaire Friends to even return my call and discuss doing a teleseminar from their home… hmmm.
Or what about the multi-millionaire I called and asked to participate at My Millionaire Friends–SHE quickly said she would love to because she wanted to reach more women with her message!
I just flipped over a book by a well known female entrepreneur and all of her testimonials were by men!
Don’t worry–I am empowered by all of this.
I think I will be renaming my new company My Millionaire Friends to My Millionaire GIRLfriends soon since the boys don’t want to come out and play anyway.
There you have it. Ladies, Sheri is waiting for your thoughts...
It takes examples like yours to remind us that maybe we haven't 'Come a long way, Baby' after all. We have made advances over the past several decades, but we're not entirely there yet. Much of what we (female Boomers) still face are the last of the Traditionals still controlling the work place and the beginnings of our own generation entering retirement. The hope of finally breaking that glass ceiling both in the corporate world and cyberspace lies on the shoulders of Gen X and the Millenials. Both groups were raised by Boomer mothers who hopefully implanted gender-equality in our children's heads. Millenials are turning out be the most tolerant group ever.
Like you, I have to wonder why women don't do more for 'our own'. That is, those who make it up the ladder leaning back to help other women follow them up. And, why did the female entrepreneur/author you mentioned not ask a few female entrepreneurs to offer comments?! We need to do a much better job of networking amongst ourselves and creating paths between those successful women and those who want to become successful.
Posted by: Terri L. Maurer | January 24, 2008 at 07:27 PM