Crude, but true. I am stuck between...

[Pacifist Patriot]

big tits and penises.

Can someone please explain to me why big tits engender certain corporate benefits while possessing a penis enables one to rise to levels of power completely undeserved had it been based on merit?

My husband's company is absolutely bizarre, but probably utterly typical. Executive male top-heavy, but at the middle level attractive women are endowed with benefits that exceed their more competent male counterparts.

Please do not understand me. I am a RAGING feminist. I believe in meritocracy at the human core, gender be damned. But the more I see the way my husband is being treated the more frustrated I become. A completely incompetent female with certain physical endowments is handed the keys to the kingdom. While my husband, who metaphorically pulls the company out of the frying pan time and time again, is short-changed by comparison.

I have no doubt this slacking female would never reach executive status even if she busted her butt. So I don't exactly fault her for enjoying the privileges she's granted now. But damn it's frustrating when I see my husband's efforts unrewarded and this woman's bullshit lauded.

What a weird corporate environment we have been in. Please tell me his company is an anomaly. (Really! Please tell me that our experience with the past three companies has been totally bizarre and this is NOT the norm.)

[hippiechick]

1. As a "carrier" of big tits

... in addition to a considerably high IQ, I can tell you its not true.

I've been shuffled between 4 'owners' in my 7 years at Conseco, promised promotions that have never happened, promised raises I've never seen, and watched people egregiously stupider than I could ever be move up the ladder past me.

Tits have nothing to do with it. If they did, my 38DD's and I would have an office and be bringing home a 6 figure salary by now. :(

[susanna]

6. You and me both.

I possess a rather keen intelligence, supported by some real nice "tits" and (so hubby says) a nice butt, too! So I'd say no, it's not an across-the-board thing. Sounds like the OP's husband's corp is messed up.

Oh wait; so's mine, because the guys around me who played sports in HS and college (and use those analogies ad nauseum) make it up my corp's ladder faster than you can say, WTF? Did I miss the suit up in the locker room? BTW, where is the locker room?

I think it's all relative. I've pulled countless a$$es out of the fire in my tenure with nothing to show for it. It's a tough world...

[BlueJazz]

9. It truly is different depending where you live, which Company and...

...(naturally), Personal.

When I worked for IBM and visited many companies...in a IT capacity, I noticed how
"Advanced" one outfit can be and next door, an outfit dominated by Good/Bad Ol' Boys.

Being White and Tall and Male, I do have an advantage but I've been aware
since high school that my Gain is someone else's loss.

And in the big proverbial picture..That Truly Sucks.

[Fridays Child]

2. Who's making these decisions at your husband's company?

Male or female executives?

[Pacifist Patriot]

17. Male

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. I have always thought it had more to do with...

The right haircut and dental veneers. But that's just me.

[susanna]

8. LOL! I think maybe you're onto something.

I've never been a veneers girl (teeth are good, but I'm not willing to spend extra free time in a dentist's chair for absolute perfection). My hair is usually pretty spot on though. Maybe I'll have to go the veneer route to get some action.

What was that quote? Something like "all is vanity"?

on edit: qualifier

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. What it really seems to boil down to...

Is a perversion of "The Peter Principle", ie: the one who successful under a particular boss, must be more shallow than the boss.

If that is even possible. :shrug:

[susanna]

15. Well, if it's any consolation

whatsoever, I think you may be right. :-(

[dbultman]

4. How tall is he?

I don't know if his company is an anomaly, but I'm not surprised at all by what you describe. How tall is he? I've heard that CEOs average 3inches taller than the average American male. What you describe is well discussed in Malcolm Gladwell's new book, Blink

[EVDebs]

5. Sex discrimination ?

http://www.eeoc.gov/types/sex.html

Most companies have a complaint process. Theoretically this may be an option, but practically...most guys would not go for it.

[wildhorses]

7. its not who you know ---

its who you blow;)

that is what i always heard --- never tried it ---hmmmm :think:

might be one reason i am currently unemployed :shrug:

[treestar]

10. We don't know from this if she's better at the job

She could be, for all we know.

An employer who hires an incompetent over a competent for shallow reasons will pay the price, never fear.

[Pacifist Patriot]

16. Oh yeah, that's a good bit of information to know, isn't it?

My husband picks up her slack constantly and everyone knows it. Including their boss! She's been shuffled from department to department and underperforms everywhere. Why they keep her lazy butt around I'll never understand.

On edit: actually the OP did give this information. I was so hot under the collar last night I forgot what I said.

Here's what set me off. They both get sent to London on business. She was given an international cell phone (single woman, lives alone). My husband's domestic cell phone just died, but instead of replacing it with an international cell phone (wife and 3 kids to keep in touch with), they are DOWNGRADING his phone and not even replacing it with the PDA style they have supplied him with for years. Hubby's in London this week and we are having difficulty with keeping in touch. I'm not sure I could reach him in an emergency.

[EVDebs]

19. Who covers for her while your husband is on vacation ?

Schedule longer vacations, preferably near to whomever else will be providing additional cover. The longer she has to fly solo the quicker the exposure of said incompetence. When she's in charge the fingerpointing to the culprit exposes the situation.

BTW, he should have found a way to avoid being sent overseas WITH this woman. But it doesn't sound like HE's complaining, if you get my drift.

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. Oh no, he's not overseas with her.

They go on different trips. He'd probably tear his hair out if they made him travel with her.

Everyone knows she doesn't do jack. He and his other department members can work 12 customer issues a day each. She's been known to do one in an entire week. Honestly, none of us can figure out why she wasn't let go years ago. She must have the goods on someone.

[colorado thinker]

11. Maybe this will help clear it up some

At my company, two women applied for a managerial position (6 figures). One is professionally credentialed in the industry, has 30 years of experience in the profession, has managerial experience, is articulate and can actually spell and think. The other one was a customer service rep, was a supervisor for 6 months, is blond and has enormous fake breasts. She wears extremely low cut blouses, inappropriate for the dress code as it is spelled out. Guess which one was chosen to be the manager? Yep, blond with tits.

Since this is between two women, I rest my case on physical attributes. Oh, and my company is the epitome of the "boys club".

[unkachuck]

12. one question....

....is this womans' tits longer than your husbands penis?....size matters; this could be your explanation....

[Selatius]

14. Unfortunately, this seems to be a long-standing feature of the world of office politics.

If you work for a company that is built on style instead of substance, you're probably working for the wrong company, and a company that's likely to start suffering from managerial incompetence in the coming decades.

[BoneDaddy]

18. Because life is often

unfair, regardless of what gender is lauded by any particular institution, company or organization.

In the corporate sphere, there is often a move towards the other side of the pendulum, in an effort to balance the inequity of the past. Because of the male dominated presence in business, it can be said that some companies tend to hire women who may not be qualified, to meet their idea of gender balance.