Into the Strenuous Briefness

yo-mister:

To the Dear and Cherished Women of Education,

We know that decades of gender-based oppression are behind us. We know that the vast majority of gender-based crimes are against women. And we know that gender-bias still keeps many women under-paid and under-promoted.

But please — don’t take that out on your male colleagues.

We know that this is considered a “woman’s” profession by some. We know that elementary education is for those who love little children, and it naturally falls to many mothers to do the job. And we know that women predominantly handle most of the decorating in the world, especially in classrooms.

But please — don’t behave as if your male colleagues don’t belong.

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If you’re being nice, your colleagues (male or female) will probably be nice back.

Question: If you are a male teacher and a male colleague is short with you, do you say to yourself, “Male teachers are so mean!”

No?

What about when a female colleague is short with you? Does one or two or even 12 female teachers somehow reflect on *all* female teachers? Does a single negative interaction with a female teacher compel you to take to the interwebz and compose an open letter to all female teachers, since you now presume all female teachers to harbor hostility and impatience with male teachers?

‘Cause that is in fact sexism.

Also not sure why decorating has anything to do with anything.