Identifying as a Woman in the Workplace
“It feels empowering even though there is a constant push to be seen, heard and respected.”
“Being a woman in today's workplace offers opportunities, but achieving success, regardless of gender, requires dedication, hard work, and perseverance.”
“I am hopeful for the next generation and lucky to work in a positive environment.”
“As a transgender woman, my role in the workplace is to create pathways for the professional trans women of the future.”
“Challenging. While we have come a long way in the workplace, there are still a lot more that needs to change.”
“Identifying as a woman in today's workplace is a mixed experience and while I'm happy to see more women in leadership roles, I think we have to work to convince those around us that we deserve our roles.”
“The past few years have been hard for women, but it is still so much better than it was when I first started working.”
“It feels empowering to identify as a woman in today's workplace, especially because I work on a team that consists entirely of strong, intelligent, and capable women!”
“It feels powerful to work alongside other inspiring women and contribute to a society where women lead systems that help our communities thrive, but I do feel that there is still pressure on women today to simultaneously succeed in the workplace, run a household, and be a caretaker to their loved ones – a flawed cultural expectation that is not placed strongly on men.”
“Better but more equity work needs to be done.”
Media Portrayal of Women in the Workplace: Myths and Realities
Brandi, Senior Planner, Conferences and Events:
“The media will allow you to believe that successful women in the events industry are always on the move with very little time for family or friends. We are seen as self-indulgent, money driven and short tempered. The reality of this is that the success of my career is driven by my desire to be the best role model and woman figure seen through my twin daughters eyes. Yes, every day at the office isn't perfect, but my proudest superpower is being able to come out of a challenging day with a lesson for them. I want them to know that you can have family and career. That it's ok to know what you want and not feel guilty for all you've accomplished. The media and court of popular opinion may need some time to catch up to this notion, but my hope is that hard-working women begin to receive their flowers of respect in mainstream media because it is certainly long overdue.”
Emilie, Firefighter/Paramedic
“In media portrayals, the role of a female firefighter paramedic are highlighted less prominently than their male counterparts, despite performing the same tasks and working alongside them seamlessly. While it's true that relatively few women pursue careers as firefighter paramedics, the reality is that this profession is open to anyone willing to put in the hard work, overcome challenges, demonstrate problem-solving abilities, and care about people. Gender or background are not barriers to entry; rather, the fire service is evolving towards inclusivity, recognizing the need for diverse perspectives and skillsets in addressing the increasingly varied emergencies faced by communities. For women aspiring to pursue their goals, disregard barriers, especially those related to gender, and focus on determination and finding ways to achieve what you desire.”
Nellie, Senior Manager, Nationwide Social Media
“My role as a Social Media Manager is seen as "extra" or "spare." It isn't seen as an essential marketing role in many organizations. The reality is that social media is here to stay, and we need to continue to learn and grow with it as it changes. Social media marketing needs to be integrated into all marketing plans. As an ever-changing marketing platform, it is important for an organization to recognize the expert knowledge of a Social Media Manager; we are aware of where social media has historically fit in as a marketing tool, and we have the knowledge to identify, in an instant, when changes to social are being made and how to adapt.”
Tanya, Specialist, Health Promotions
“When I was a flight attendant, we were and still are portrayed as sexual beings without any intelligence. Which was in stark contrast to what we really were. We were strong, independent, intelligent and hard working. Unfortunately, people and the media only paid attention to appearances and what they believed the job was (waitress in the sky). Yet if ever there was an emergency, we were the ones everyone needed.... Working now in public health, which is also female dominated field, we are still viewed as less than and usually paid lower than male counterparts, even though we have the same degrees and sometimes even more education and certifications.”
Rachel, Manager, Health Promotions
“As a manager my position is often portrayed as being occupied by a male. In an organization like the Lung Association, where many of our staff, including those in leadership roles are female, this is not an accurate representation. Due to being a younger female, sometimes partners seem surprised when I say I'm a manager. At times I'm not taken seriously by potential partners and other organizations due to my appearance and identifying as a woman. This is further complicated by my physical appearance--I have tattoos, piercings and purple hair. When I tell people that I have an advanced degree and a clinical license they tend to change how they interact with me. It's interesting that as a woman I have to prove my qualification for occupying my position, which is something that a male wouldn't likely to have to do. I do think we're moving toward a society that values females in positions of leadership, but due to the political atmosphere and ideas that some members of our society uphold (referring to conflict around women's reproductive rights), it is an ongoing battle to get to a more equal playing field. There is much work to be done.”
Liz, Division Director, Health Promotions
“I was just watching a British crime drama from the 90's called Prime Suspect and I was struck by just how much I identified with the main character. I remember those days and it so much better now! Women face so much less discrimination and second guessing than they used to. Believe me, I know there's plenty of it now, but the stories I could tell.... Anyway, the main issue I see with how positions like mine are portrayed is that it seems like the grunt work required to get a great job and keep it are just glossed over. You might see a character on a tv show push a button on their computer and say, "Well, I just hit our quarterly numbers with my extra-clever email skills!" Are you kidding me?! There is a lot of unglamorous and unsexy work that has to take place to make magic happen. Let's be honest and say so and not build expectations that being at the top is not about working hard all day every day on your own work while leading and motivating others to do the same.”
Shanna, Manager, Digital Content
“Maybe not my current position (which does not receive a lot of media portrayal), but my background is in journalism--the favorite career choice for female leads in romantic comedies! I find that this kind of media likes to portray female journalists primarily as fashion journalists who dream of "more serious reporting." This portrayal puts down the serious and very challenging work of fashion journalism. In addition, editing roles are often viewed as inferior to writing roles, which is silly because those are separate career paths. All this to say, I think our media portrays ""traditional female journalism roles" as unserious and frivolous, which is highly offensive and not factual!”
Alexis, Specialist, Nationwide Health Promotions
“Currently, the career fields of education, healthcare and non-profit work are primarily female dominated. I think that in general, the media can portray individuals with careers in health education or non-profit work as fun, artsy and compassionate instead of rational, decisive and strong. When we launch a campaign, the public sees the finalized, polished version – the eye-catching video or the creative messaging. While ideating is one of my favorite qualities of my career, I would also describe my role as needing critical-thinking, adaptability, and decision-making skills. A successful health promotion campaign cannot just be appealing. It must be relevant, effective, sustainable, culturally competent, and economically feasible. We must translate research, follow political trends, and address the social behaviors and environmental influences impacting different communities. To do this requires strong project management, a term that is usually used to describe professions that are male dominated (such as engineering, construction, or finance), but is an integral part of health promotions and non-profit work."
Donna, Smoking Cessation Coordinator
“My job title at Lexington Medical Center is Coordinator of the Smoking Cessation Program; however, I do wear many hats behind that title. I am a "one man show" so to speak in this job role. I set up all the clinic dates and locations for each clinic. I handle all the marketing needs for our program to include participating in several health fairs throughout the year as well as being interviewed by our local WIS TV station to discuss our free smoking cessation program funded by the foundation at our hospital. I'm responsible for signing up each and every person interested in joining our program. Another responsibility is scheduling/ organizing our monthly smoking cessation support group meetings. The continued support given to those who completed and quit smoking in one of our clinics is extremely gratifying to me. I will have to say the most REWARDING aspect of my job is being a facilitator at each and every one of our clinics throughout the year. Watching these individuals learn about their smoking habits and gaining the confidence they need in order to quit smoking is what brings me the most gratification.”
Sharon, Recording Academy Voting Member (GRAMMY’s®), Award Winning Symphonic Rock Singer, Songwriter, Pianist, Producer, and Published Author
"As a GRAMMY-voting, award-winning musician and leader of a music-based non-profit, the media often emphasizes the glitter and glamour of rockstar moments. However, the day-to-day reality is so much deeper than that. It requires dedication, perseverance, and grit—essential components for success. Managing my music career and Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause feels like orchestrating a symphony while tap-dancing on sheet music. From recording and festival planning to community building, my to-do list rivals a rock ballad guitar solo, and navigating disappointments hits harder than a missed note in a live performance, demanding an extra layer of resilience.
While positive press and heartfelt moments are powerful, they don't fully paint the picture. It's a labor of love and dedication to a cause greater than oneself. Amidst the spotlight on events and celebrity, the essence of my goals—inspiring hearts, aiding women, and championing causes—sometimes gets overshadowed. Navigating this journey today is more manageable as women have gained a broadened voice and equality —a progression I hope to continue contributing to through my work and voice."
Robin, Manager, Information Technology
“Information Technology is a traditionally male-dominated industry. We are seeing more women in the industry in all positions. From starting positions up to CTO/CIO, women are starting to make their presence known - and doing an amazing job. It's still not even, but we see more women in STEM every year, so we have hope. While we are not there yet, I think the media is catching on and beginning to showcase everyone.”
Alexis, Manager, Health Promotions
“For many years and still till this day, women are constantly being portrayed negatively in the media, by being unable to have a healthy work-life balance, underserving of promotions, and underrepresented compared to our male counterparts. In reality, women in the workplace are more than capable of having a healthy work-life balance and deserving of equal opportunities for promotions. As a working mother myself a work-life balance is very important as it helps to maintain a healthy and productive work environment and knowing when I get off work that I can give my children my undivided attention. I would not be the mother and employee that I am today without having a work-life balance and an organization that supports it. In addition, there is a great representation of women in senior management at the American Lung Association, which gives hope that I can also move up within the organization.”
Candace, Director, Health Promotions
“I haven’t seen anyone in a position nor an organization similar to mine as a setting in the media; and women are either portrayed as the chief or administrative support (more modern-day girl Friday...because she usually has a degree(s) and aspires to moving into her chief-person’s position). Otherwise, women in chic suits or sleeveless dresses and heels grabbing lunch on the run, juggling a social circle of friends, children, and husbands/ex-husbands, with shared custody experiences, to boot, is on point; and Black and Brown women often getting passed over for promotions, unless the producer or director are Black or Brown, e.g., Shonda Rhimes, America Ferrera...even then, there’s always a train-wreck character who is playing out the ramifications of some Adverse Childhood Experience. Poet and Playwright Oscar Wilde insisted that “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” That may be true when we consider the influence that First Ladies have had on fashion industry trends, however the settings in the media are more often drawn from real life experiences.”
