"A female lawyer? I’d rather have a man with some real clout in court."
"You’ll have more negotiating power if you wear a short skirt."
Comments such as these – no matter if said in earnest or in jest – can justifiably make our team and partners feel uneasy.
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Deliberate or unintentional? It makes no difference.
No matter if it’s outright discrimination or an internal perception of gender roles – at Schwärzler Attorneys at Law, we want to make people aware of the potentially discriminatory effects of language and traditional roles. We don’t want to reproach and point fingers. Instead, we want to draw attention to what language can or cannot do. We challenge everyone to choose their words wisely.
Ask yourself:
How might I come across to a colleague or partner when I make certain comments?
Is this the way I want to be seen?
How would I feel if I was seen only as “eye candy”?
And… how does it feel? Probably pretty bad.
Sometimes, carefully considered words are the key to mutual respect.
Thank you for thinking.
The Schwärzler Team
