Day 54: Discrimination – Old vs. Young

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 54: Discrimination – Old vs. Young

An HR manager recently posted a message that he had hired a woman over 50 and had taken quite a bit of heat for it from the younger generation. There were a number of comments, I put in my two cents and commended him for his decision. I added that giving the choice between a 25-year-old and a 50-year-old, I would pick the 50-year-old every time.

Most young girls marry, start a family and go on maternity leave several times. Next, the kids get sick and mom has to take time off to look after them. With a 50-year-old, you avoid all that. Women that age are not only experienced, they have grown up children.

Well, when I said as much, I was severely criticized and insulted. It was even said that I discriminated against my own kind. Maybe that’s true, but I’m no stranger to discrimination myself. Over the years I’ve been discriminated against for being too tall, too thin, too young, too old, being from a foreign country, speaking with an accent … you name it, it’s been done.

If I’m partial to older women vs. the younger generation it has a reason, several reasons actually.

Take Tina for instance. Tina’s parents spent close to $250,000 on their daughter’s law school education. She had a brilliant mind, did her articling in one of the top law firms in the city, with a firm job offer after graduation. Six months before she graduated she met a man and married him. A month before graduation she announced she was pregnant and moving to Chicago. Her parents begged her to finish her education. She could practice law in Chicago after the baby was born. But no, Tina didn’t want to listen, she wanted to be a full-time mom. Today she has two children, is divorced and her parents are still paying off her student loans.

Then there’s Betty. Betty is an administrative assistant in a bank. Shortly after she started her job she got pregnant and went on a year’s maternity leave. When she came back she back she announced she was pregnant again and took off for another year of maternity leave. When she came back to work she was already pregnant for the third time and off she went again.

Next up there’s Yasmine. Yasmine also works for a bank, has four children and shows no signs of stopping. Her children range from age 6 to 11. All four go to school and after school they are looked after by their elderly and disabled grandparents. One is blind the other in a wheelchair. When Yasmine comes home from work, she picks up her kids and promptly kicks them out. In spring and summer, they play (unsupervised) in the condo building’s garden, in fall and winter they are banished to the corridor. When it’s time to eat she calls them in and after supper sends them to bed. When asked why the kids have to go to bed so early she openly states that she can’t stand having them around. Well, if that’s the case, why then have four children?

Are there other examples of young people acting irresponsibly? Yes, tons of them, but I think you get the idea. No need to go on and on.

Now women over the age of 50, on the other hand, are a whole different kettle of fish. When they get hired, an organization knows it’s getting value for money. Women who re-enter the job market at that age are either widowed or divorced and need the job for the money. The chances of an older woman quitting because she’s getting married are slim to none, and the chances of her getting pregnant and going on maternity leave are zero.

Other benefits of hiring older women are that they will show up on time, every time. They are experienced, they know what they’re doing, and take pride in their performance.

So, if you want to say that I discriminate against young people, go ahead. My conscience is clear. 

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Is anything and everything allowed these days

I was in a bowling alley over the weekend where I noticed a girl (she’s couldn’t have been more than 16) breast-feeding a baby.

Men were ogling her, women didn’t quite know where to look, and children to see as much as possible. And I wondered, when did it become socially acceptable to put it all out there?

Continue reading at: http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog

Ladies, be careful who you vote for

If you're a women

and you want to keep your rights, 

vote democrat

Until recently I only took a moderate interest in the American presidential elections.  This year that’s different, not only do I take an interest, I fear the elections.  In a few days, everything could change (and not for the better).

After hearing and reading the beliefs of the republican politicians, I can only shake my head and wonder … how can anyone even consider voting for this party?

Let’s look at some of their beliefs … 

“A Republican congressional candidate says abortion should not be legal, even when it involves "the rape thing," according to audio provided Wednesday to The Associated Press.”

The rape thing? 

A Missouri Republican who came to the defense of Representative Todd Akin told the The New York Times last week “ If God has chosen to bless this person [the rape victim] with a life, you don’t kill it."

Rape is a blessing?

I struggled with myself for a long time but I came to realize life is that gift from God, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape. It is something that God intended to happen.”

So, according to these clowns, rape and a subsequent pregnancy is are gifts from God?  Isn’t it a shame that men can’t get pregnant?

That some men might welcome republics, I can understand.  Slowly but steadily men have been losing ground and this might be their chance to get the upper hand again.  Put women in their place, so to speak.

Until not so long ago, women couldn’t have their own money, couldn’t have property and were not allowed to vote.  Their lot was to marry and have babies.  When in doubt, look at a 

Mormon family and count the kids (if you can).  Will this be the lot of women again should republicans win?   

Maybe not at first, but if rape is seen as a blessing, and abortion is against the law, what will be next?  Keep in mind that the presidential candidate is a Mormon and it might be a good idea for any woman to familiarize herself with Mormon beliefs.

Other than women, African Americans and the gay community might also want to take a look at the Mormon beliefs.  They think gay relations is a sign of mental illness.

http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_and_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints

I can only hope that there are enough Americans who will see through the lies and the deceit and do the right thing when casting their vote. 

Ladies, do you really want to lose your rights?  Do you really want to be seen only as a baby making machine?  Do you want to stand the change of being raped, end up pregnant and having to raise the kid? 

Women everywhere have fought for your rights, make sure you keep them!

Mirror mirror on the wall

 

Yesterday I read a blog entry by Kate Slawinski entitled “What women over 50 should never wear” http://kt1writes.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-women-over-50-should-never-wear.html?spref=fb

With this information fresh in mind, I thought of Kate as I boarded a subway train today and came face to face with a rather disturbing image ... a very overweight, heavily pregnant woman, dressed in a super tight strapless top and minuscule shorts.  A pretty sight it was not.

Apparently times have changed and pregnant women no longer try to hide their swollen belly.  While there is nothing wrong with pregnancy, there is a big difference between no longer hiding the obvious and putting it out there.  What is wrong with a tasteful maternity outfit? 

The huge belly aside, the strapless top on the overweight woman wasn’t the best choice either.  Not only were her double D boobs a jigglie mess trying to escape their confinement, she would have done well covering up her overly fleshy chest, shoulders and arms.

As for the minuscule shorts ... did we really need to see her huge thighs, dimpled with cellulite? 

I have nothing against overweight people, but I do have something against people who throw on anything and venture outside.  Can’t they see how objectionable their outfit is?

In comparison, a far larger woman was also on the train, but she wore a pretty outfit with a modest V-neck, short sleeves and a hemline below her knees.  She looked stunning.

Short or tall, slim or overweight, pregnant or not, get a mirror!!!

 

Let me rant

Where is it written that one must be respectful to pregnant women?
Being respectful to elders, yes, they can’t help it getting older, but pregnant women ... why must we be respectful? They’re not dying, they’re not even sick, they’re just expecting a baby.

Pregnancy is a temporary condition. Some got that way by accident (and in this day and age that is just irresponsible), or it was planned, in which case they knew what they were getting in to. Heck in some cases, women have been trying to get pregnant for months or years, so why should the universe suddenly revolve around them? They wanted it, now they have it, so let them deal with it.

Why do I sound so ticked off? Because I got into a bit of a tiff with a pregnant woman on the train. I got to a seat first and she felt I should give up my seat to her. Euh why? Hairdressers get pregnant and they’re on their feet the whole day. Women who work in stores and get pregnant spent most of their time on their feet. In the olden days, a farmer’s wife helped her husband in the field, sometimes under a boiling hot sun. So why should I give up my seat to pregnant woman for a twenty minute train ride?

She felt she deserved respect. Respect? Respect for what? Getting herself pregnant? In my opinion that does not deserve respect. What did she do that was so special, unselfish or heroic? She had sex, what’s so special about that? That is, unless she managed to get into a position even Cirque the Soleil performers have trouble with.

Eventually she got a seat and if she had anything else to say I didn’t hear it because I put my music on with headphones. If she wanted to prattle on, I wouldn’t hear it.

Apparently though she wasn’t finished with me. While leaving the train she wanted her revenge and shoved me. A gutsy move on her part I might add as she was a short little twerp and I’m a 5 feet 10 inches giant.
Well, the shove was a mistake. When she tried to get away, I went into hot pursuit.

And I got her, I had to practically run to keep up with her, and climb several sets of stairs (she obviously had no problem with her pregnancy now), but I got her and I let her have it. No, I didn’t lay a hand on her, I’m not that stupid, but I gave her a tongue lashing she won’t forget in a hurry.

She quickly slipped beyond the barricades of the train station where I couldn’t follow her. Well, I could have followed her but then I would have had to pay again to continue my journey. She wasn’t worth it, so I left it at that. But she will remember me and I certainly will remember her.

If there’s one thing that ticks me off (other than pregnant women) is people who demand respect. In my opinion respect has to be earned, it doesn’t come automatically and you certainly don’t get it from me because you happen to be pregnant. Like I said, what is there to be respectful about?