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comment by tehstone
tehstone  ·  3360 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Men: Older? School-Age? College-Age?: Do You Ever Ask These Questions?

Mid 20s male here. Gender relations occupy a lot of processing time in my brain. I constantly fret about perceptions and "making up" for the bad behavior of other members of my gender.

0. Am I treating women with the same respect and consideration that I would treat a male team member?

Typically more respect and consideration.

1. Do I make assumptions that my women classmates or team members or co-workers might not be as skilled or might be differently skilled than the males?

Often yes, but I've practiced noticing when I do so and try to correct my thinking to fit the information at hand rather than gut reaction.

2. Am I assuming too many leadership roles without giving others a chance?

N/A

3. Do I prefer men in the group to lead the projects?

N/A

4. What other assumptions am I making about the race, gender, ability, skills, intelligence of others? Is it possible that I am making assumptions without being aware of it?

I do my best to base my opinion of the skills and intelligence of those around me on a rolling scale tied to the interactions I've had with them. The worst assumptions I have of people are often those made when I first meet them. When it's a racial difference, especially in cases where the other person has a strong accent I think it's more important to notice the things the other person struggles to get across rather than what they can more easily convey. Concepts that are more difficult to convey in a second (etc) language are often more complex and provide a better window into the intelligence of the speaker.

5. Am I building my personal skills to be a good citizen, parent, friend, son, brother, etc.?

Mindfulness of those around you is the first step and I have that down at least.