Post from Leadership Turn Image credit: danaloganphotography

Cynic that I am, I never really bought into the idea of “sisterhood” and that women supported each other because they were all in the same boat. Nice idea, but I just couldn’t swallow it, partly based on my own experience and partly on what I saw happen around me.

For all you doubters I offer more proof from a brief item in Business Week synopsizing a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Researchers at George Mason and Rice universities had 105 people (56 men, 49 women) play the role of interviewer as nonpregnant and visibly pregnant candidates (the researchers, some wearing prosthetic bellies) “applied” for such [traditionally “male”] jobs as corporate lawyer and engineering professor… Hostility toward pregnant applicants was 33% higher than for the other women, with the “interviewers” agreeing afterward with such statements as “she’ll try to get out of doing work” and “she would be too moody.”

Complaints are up 14%, but probably would be higher if more women bothered.

But if that same 105 people had to answer the questions publicly or in front of an audience of predominantly pregnant women, I bet that the general hostility would evaporate, the attitudes change drastically and political correctness would shine through.

Is it right? No. Is it fair? No. is it reality? Unfortunately, yes.

Have you or someone you know experienced pregnancy bias?

What do you think can be done to change it?

Your comments—priceless

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