Several articles appeared in my Facebook news feed today about how women are treated with disrespect in ways that men are trained not to notice.  In general, I stay away from such issues, not because I think the articles are wrong but  because I choose to focus on social issues that I consider more pressing. Others will have different priorities. I can respect that.

Nevertheless, I know from personal experience that women are ignored, interrupted, threatened, and otherwise disrespected far more than men and far more than men notice. One of the articles included a Punch cartoon of a boardroom with the caption: “That is an excellent suggestion, Miss Triggs. Perhaps one of the men here would like to make it.” I’ve been that woman many, many times. I’ve been interrupted and talked over so that I could not speak to make a point. I’ve counted a male in the room running with my ideas as a victory despite the same suggestion being ignored when I’d made it.

So why does any of this make be grateful?  Because I do not deal with it anymore. Being an author has plenty of challenges, but being ignored by my daily colleagues isn’t one of them – I don’t have any. And today, I am grateful that I don’t have to deal with that hassle.