I accepted another job today. This time, I'm stepping away from my comfort role as a news journalist to work in media relations. It's making me contemplative tonight. This year has not been at all what I had planned, and this new direction is not at all where I had planned to be when I graduated from college a few years ago for this "second" career.
Not that I'm unhappy at all. I welcome the change. I was ready to get out of the daily grind of newspapers, and my current gig designing hasn't exactly turned me on to being back in a newsroom (let's just say disorganization and some how the a.hole with the penis is always in charge.) Hey, sorry. But I'm a little jaded about newsrooms. It's a good ol' boys club at the top, just like it's always been.
Look at Helen Thomas, a wonderful journalist and she doesn't get the same respect she would if she were a man. I don't think women will ever get that respect in the workplace.
I'm not a raging feminist. But I am a feminist ( a label like liberal that's gotten a bad rep in the past few years.) I just know I've seen a lot of deserving women who were damn good at their jobs -- and often far more qualified than the men who got the promotions. I've been shoulder-to-shoulder fighting for news scoops with male journalists, and it was getting old. Having to be twice as good to get half the pay or respect gets old.
So I'm embarking a new chapter in my journalistic career and I think I'm really going to enjoy it.
But who knows, I might miss the rat race so much I'll want to go back. I'm not shutting any doors, just opening a new one. Is that so wrong?
So for the rest of the evening, I'm going to sit in my office, read Molly Ivins' book, drink some Coke and rum and listen to BB King...The Thrill is Gone.
(P.S. For those of you who were kind enough to ask. I'm over it. Hubby's back in his bed after a heart-felt, "she was so ugly, what was I thinking" apology. All is well.)
We....the people
4 years ago
4 comments:
You don't have to be a raging feminist to expect equal rights. I 100% agree with your post!! Good luck!!
Glad to hear you got the "she was so ugly" apology! Have a great weekend!!
Good luck on your new venture. It could be more adverturous than just doing news stories, so you never know.
Oh, and thanks for the compliment. It was either blogging or starting a rap career and platinmum bling makes me break out.
Hugs. BTDT. But now, on the other side, I've learned that for me, I hate media relations. A lot.
If I could just figure out how to juggle two journalism careers (mine and my hubby's) with raising three kids, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Could someone explain to me why flex-time and job share are ugly words in the journalism industry? Please? Every time I offer that up as a solution to my stress and their staffing problems, I get looked at like I have three heads.
Nancy: True, but say equal rights and you'll be painted with a broad stroke -- raging feminist.
Sam: You're welcome. Good choice -- rapping is bound to fade away.
Sherrie: Well, because journalism is still a "good ol' boys" club. When I worked at the Capitol Press Room in another state -- I was the ONLY full-time female reporter. The Oklahoman -- state's largest paper here -- has two females assigned to the city news -- all others are relegated to "metro" "business" "features" "religion" because as the male editors say "it's better hours."
And to be fair there's more and more dads bearing responsibiility for their children. My son used to take his daughters to the newsroom on a regular basis when his wife was working late and he was too. You should have seen the looks he got -- "don't they have a mommy?"
Journalists are downtrodden, often poorly paid labor. It's time to revolt.
By the way, so far -- I really like p.r. -- but for the record, the day I took the job I sat on the couch, drank beer, watched "The Paper" and cried.
I'll survive.
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