ONE FEMALE.

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@Kandae11 (53679)
May 4, 2017 5:48pm CST
Have you ever worked in a company or organization where the staff composition was 90 or 100 percent the opposite sex? I was one of only three females on staff at the newspaper company where I embarked on my first job. The other two females were - the GMs secretary and the cleaning lady. I was given a desk in a large general office occupied by a dozen or more reporters, feature writers and proofreaders - all male. I can say I was treated with respect and was never involved in office politics - until I moved to another organization where the male/female ratio was more balanced. So, what was your first job? - and how long did you stay in it? Do you think you would like working in an office where you are the only female or male ?.
33 people like this
34 responses
• United States
4 May 17
I would not like an office period Kandase. It is not for me. The main job I had in life was hairdressing and I loved it. Of course, there were the few male hairdressers, but mostly women. No problems. I had worked in offices in various points in life too, I was always the youngest of older people there. It was not so fun lol
6 people like this
• United States
4 May 17
@Kandae11 I bet you are Kandase I am glad you are too then if you didn't like it.
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53679)
4 May 17
@TiarasOceanView I liked it while I was there, but I moved on to better things. I much prefer being my own boss.
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53679)
4 May 17
I know I am relieved to be out of it.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325758)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 May 17
It wouldn't worry me unless I became the butt of sexist jokes or whatever. I'm glad they treated you with respect.
3 people like this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
A few asked for dates, but they didn't bother me again when I told them no.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
4 May 17
Never worked in office was in plate making and graphic arts
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53679)
4 May 17
And you do sculpture as well - am I right?
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
5 May 17
@Kandae11 I do some.Mike does most of it.
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 May 17
Yes, I have. I've worked in social services and have been a minority, both in terms of gender and ethnicity, for much of my career. What would you like to know?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 May 17
@Kandae11 Negative effect overall. I was brutally discriminated against. Work performance itself? No effect. I am a professional.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
Did it have a negative, positive or no special impact on your work performance?
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
@TheHorse But you said - negative effect overall - won't that include work performance?
1 person likes this
@just4him (306239)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 May 17
My job in the Navy was in radio and the command I was in had three female officers and about that many enlisted women. We were in short supply among all the men. My job at the command took me to every office. It was a good job and one that was cut off too quickly when I had a baby and found myself out of the Navy. All the other jobs I've had were pretty much evenly divided between men and women.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306239)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 May 17
@Kandae11 I tried, but the Female officer in charge of Personnel didn't like me and put an unre-enlistable code on my honorable discharge. They tried to get her to change it, but she wouldn't. Oh well, I found out I was pregnant again anyway.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306239)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 May 17
@Kandae11 They are easier to deal with in some respects.
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
So you really liked working in the navy. Couldn't you re-enlist at a later date?
1 person likes this
@EMuhungi (1712)
• Nairobi, Kenya
5 May 17
I like a more balanced scenario. My previous job i was in a team of 6 people, I being the only male. At first it was not easy to adapt. Although I had my favorite, i had to try and treat all of them equally.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
@EMuhungi Yes, that would be a problem.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
The only male and five females - any specific problems?
1 person likes this
@EMuhungi (1712)
• Nairobi, Kenya
5 May 17
@Kandae11 Yes, they were getting too close.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169965)
• United States
5 May 17
My first job I worked in a restaurant. There were probably more males than females. I worked in one for a few days because it was very hard...and one for almost a year.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
I am sure you didn't regret your decision to move on from the first one.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169965)
• United States
6 May 17
@Kandae11 no, I am not much for hard work I have to admit that!
1 person likes this
@Nawsheen (28644)
• Mauritius
5 May 17
I can remember that at my first job the majority were females and we had only 2 male colleagues on the team. So it was inverse here. But we treated our male colleagues well. The composition of the current team i am working with is mixed
1 person likes this
@Nawsheen (28644)
• Mauritius
7 May 17
@Kandae11 yes its better for sure
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
A balanced team is best I should think.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
5 May 17
I much prefer to work in an office filled with men, much less drama.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
7 May 17
@Kandae11 Having said that, I have made wonderful female friends in the office so it is a trade-off!!
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
That is so true.
1 person likes this
• Otis Orchards, Washington
5 May 17
Back when I worked in gas stations there were no women working there. When I got a better job it was about 40% women and 60% men. On the last job I had there were 2 women who worked together. As soon as one went to the restroom the other complained about how much she hated the other. What was funny about it was they sat together at breaks and lunch. And they did things together away from work. I suppose it was a love/hate relationship. One place I work there was a woman who started to working there. I would talk to her at break time. One day I was sitting in the break room when she came in. She said, "Listen up everyone. Richard and I are an item." Huh? Where did she come up with that? Then she looked at me and said, "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone is going to find out sooner or later." I sat there wondering how I went from talking to her a couple of times at breaks to being in a relationship with her. I later discovered she was interested in another guy and she was trying to make him jealous. It apparently worked because a couple of weeks later they were arm in arm. But I would have rather been left out of it.
1 person likes this
• Otis Orchards, Washington
6 May 17
@Kandae11 It was inconsiderate all right. And you're right, i would not have gone along with it. Here's more of the story. The guy she was interested in was married. The woman told me he kept wanting to go out with her but she didn't like the idea. I told her to tell him to show her the divorce papers first. I figured that would be the end of it. I didn't think he would divorce his wife. I was wrong. The guy divorced his wife and married this woman. The last I heard it turned into a real mess. I guess after he got what he wanted he didn't want to be married to her anymore. But she wouldn't leave. He locked her out of the house and she had to stay at a neighbor's. The guy wanted his ex back. That's the last I heard so I have no idea how things worked out.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
@RichardMeister It seems as though women will never accept that when a married man divorces his wife and marries you, it is just a matter of time before the same thing happens to you. As they say -" what goes around comes around".
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
I think that woman was much too forward - you should have been consulted in advance. Seeing the two of you talked she could have told you she was interested in the guy and wanted to make him jealous. She probably knew you won't play along so she didn't allow you an option. That was very inconsiderate because after she got her guy , it would appear to some as if she dumped you.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
6 May 17
no, i have never worked in an environment that i am the only female. but many females and just one male, i think i have had that circumstance before, when the case colloquium we have, and the lone male is one of us critiques.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
7 May 17
@Kandae11 no, there are man males and many females, but we part time clinical preceptors have just 1 male part-timer.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
So in your work situation it was one male instead of one female.
1 person likes this
@spaceseed (2843)
• India
5 May 17
I think for first few days every one will feel different, but after few days it becomes norm. so not a big deal. I was once in office branch of seven people and only male member. The only issue was any other work outside the office I was kind of forced to do. and in case some body has to stay till late it was I
1 person likes this
@spaceseed (2843)
• India
5 May 17
@Kandae11 Thank god office was well guarded else I would have been first one to run away
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
Because you were the only male. Also if a burglar came in - you would have to be upfront - protecting the ladies.
1 person likes this
@MsBooklover (3974)
• United States
28 Jun 17
My first job was as a little girl working with papers. It was just for the summer. I would be find working with all men. I have had problems with a lot of women being catty and worse.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
28 Jun 17
Same problem when I worked with women.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jun 17
@Kandae11 There are some men who are not very nice....but women seem to take the cake!
@Essjayd (1568)
4 May 17
I've always done jobs where my workmates are mostly guys. I was a chef for years and in many of the kitchens I was the only female. I now work as a driver for a parcel company although there's a few females in the office I'm the only female on the warehouse and driving side of our depot. It's not a job for anyone easily offended I've seen a few females start but very few last past the first month. I feel when I start at any depot they expect me to fail, run crying to a boss or burst into tears if someone puts me down.Usually once they've seen I'm not easily offended and can give as good as I get I'm usually just accepted as one of the crowd. I actually prefer it I look at our office staff and I'm glad I only have to tolerate them for a few minutes a day..Most of them are back stabbing nasty types. I seriously couldn't handle the drama in there.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
Very interesting - and I understand exactly what you mean. I thought I would have had problems in an all male environment, but I didn't. Those who asked for a date I told very nicely that I don't date co- workers , and they didn't persist. My office problems started when I moved to an organization where women outnumbered the men.
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
@Essjayd Sad, but very true.
1 person likes this
@Essjayd (1568)
5 May 17
@Kandae11 I find that if a guy has a problem with something they just come out and say it. I have had occasional arguments at work but once it's been said and done stuff just returns to normal afterwards and we'll go back to treating each other as we did before. I find the women in my workplace more likely to hold a grudge against someone or talk about them behind their back.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48417)
• Mojave, California
7 May 17
Much respect and know exactly what you are talking about. Did this my whole life and pretty much said, lets go another way.Unfortunately not working so good for me but hope one day things will change for the better. They want to talk about hard, stay hard my friend, but only in the right ways.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
7 May 17
Thank you for your input.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (137215)
• Philippines
5 May 17
I think I don't mind if a male is outnumbered in a working place. I would be treated as a king.lol Regards to my first job, the team is equally in gender.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (137215)
• Philippines
9 May 17
@Kandae11 I am sure you were, my friend. You were pampered during that time.
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
I am sure you would be. I was treated like a Queen.
1 person likes this
• Austin, Texas
5 May 17
In all of the jobs I worked, I never really paid any attention to the male/female ratio, the minority or ethnic composition, etc. I just worked to the best of my ability.
1 person likes this
• Austin, Texas
5 May 17
@Kandae11 - It is possible it was affecting me. I just didn't know it. Maybe there were certain opportunities and I was passed over and I did not know the "why". You know what I mean? Just plain old ignorance.
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
I did that too, but it depends on where you are - the male/ female ratio could affect to some extent how you do perform.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246819)
• United States
5 May 17
My very first job was a babysitter. Lol! I loved being alone with the kids. My main career was teaching and it involved most women with a few men here and there. However, when I taught at the university, there were more men. That I enjoyed.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246819)
• United States
5 May 17
@Kandae11 That seems to be the case in the schools I've taught in. My last school, a 5/6 school, had 5 male teachers, two of whom taught P.E.
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53679)
5 May 17
Judging from the situation here in the Caribbean and the response from @DWDavis, it would seem there are more women than men in the teaching profession at middle school level. He says he is the only male teacher at his grade level.
2 people like this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
4 May 17
I've never worked a job where I was the only female and I'm glad. I would be very uncomfortable. My first job was working in a jewelry factory where I had to inspect jewelry all day to make sure it was good to go to the public for sale. It wasn't fun but it paid pretty well.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
4 May 17
Surrounded by jewelery - that's nice.
2 people like this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
4 May 17
@Kandae11 yes, that part was cool. too bad I couldn't bring any home with me! lol
2 people like this
• Trinidad And Tobago
6 May 17
I like men better than I like women...so it's a fact I would enjoy working with an all male staff especially if they were to treat me with respect. Women are too harsh and nit-pick in the office workplace. Men are more logical and easy to predict. And no gossiping...I really hate that. And even if men gossip...I'll be fascinated no end on their perspective on things.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
6 May 17
We think the same way.