Being a woman in the workplace can be so difficult. Every day, I hear people trying to hide their giggles when I take notes during meetings or schedule out my tasks for the day. It feels like nobody at work takes me seriously at all, simply because I’m a woman and because my entire desk is strewn with Lisa Frank notebooks and other neon animal-printed ephemera.
Misogyny comes in so many forms.
Despite the incredibly sexist judgement from my peers, I find my desk to be a highly motivating environment. I keep a huge Lisa Frank poster of a cat in sunglasses driving a hot pink roofless car hanging right next to my computer. The image reminds me why I work so hard as a woman in a male dominated field. I find it so insulting when people – even women – walk by and laugh. Internalized misogyny is such a sad thing to witness.
Anyway, I don’t care, because I take pride in my work. I also keep all my important documents in my kitty cat Lisa Frank folder.
If a man were to bring an Incredible Hulk notebook to work, no one would doubt his professionalism. The Hulk and men are “strong and cool,” but if I work on a Lisa Frank coloring book at my desk, then I’m unprofessional? Get real.
Those who don’t take me seriously because of my love of Lisa Frank are setting women back decades. I demand respect, even if people think it’s childish when I show up to the office in a hot pink dolphin backpack.
Just because I’m a woman with only Lisa Frank supplies doesn’t mean I can’t also be a boss!
