“I asked my direct supervisor what I could do to improve my job performance.
His answer: ‘Wear more rouge and lipstick.'”
Here are their personal stories:
1.
“Im an emergency medicine doctor.
My job is to provide care in life-and-death situations.
I just finally have gotten to an age where I don’t care for makeup.”
“I am a woman in tech here.
Anonymous
3.
I supervised four stages set up both inside and outside the Superdome.
It was September, and I was running up and down many flights of stairs.
My manager came into town right before the event, and I took him around all my setups.
I had all the right answers to his questions and solutions to things he didn’t even know about.
The event went great.”
“The next week, when I saw him, I asked for feedback.
It was September in New Orleans, and I had naturally curly hair.
That was his only feedback for me.”
He went on to state that curly hair was unprofessional and wild.
I ended up partnering with my husband to open our own business to avoid the bias and pressure.
If I have to look at your face, at least look nice.'"
“I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years ago, and subsequently have experienced the weight gain symptom.
Each year, I gained weight, and my interviews went worse.
Like damn, have you never seen a makeup-less woman in your life?
“I work in HR and usually help out in interviews.
The hiring manager who was interviewing the young woman with me decided to pass on the applicant.
“I was flabbergasted and didn’t know how to respond.
In reality, this job wasn’t really customer-facing, but what do you say about that?
violetbaudelairegt
12.
“My male manager told me I needed to ‘smile more.’
That when I was thinking, I ‘looked constipated.’
I quit shortly after.”
But this totally happens to me.
I normally wear my shoulder-length hair blown out with a light curl to it.
My colleagues often describe me as ‘assertive!’
Another administrator even went so far as to refer to me as one of the ‘homegirls!’
Nothing about my work ethic or passion for advocacy changed, just my hairstyle did.”
cripsyzombie84
14.
“In the late ’90s/early 2000s, I was a recruiter (headhunter jot down).
Keep in mind I was certified (CPC), and always met my quota for the top performer.
I never did, but wow, was that eye-opening!”
“I had a conversation once with my direct lead.
Everything was going well, and then he said, ‘Everyone needs to take ownership.
I’m almost 40.
I had on BB cream and full eye makeup.
I was told I did not look put together enough.”
His answer: Wear more rouge and lipstick.
And he was not kidding.”
“This is much worse as we age.
It’s life or death, and it’s devastating.
Cosmetic surgery feels inevitable instead of a choice.”
“I have experienced the flip side.
I have been hired for jobs just because of my appearance.
“I am very fair-skinned and have been told I have a ‘peaches and cream’ complexion.
I do not wear makeup, I have a nice haircut, and always dress well.
“I have experienced both sides.
Either I am trying too much, or I’m not serious about my work.
I worked in a corporate office and became stressed, gained weight, and was having some health issues.
My all-female team didn’t care about appearances as much as the males did in the office.”
And finally…
24.
“I get more respect or positive feedback on a presentation when I wear the corporate mask.
I don’t wear makeup daily.
Post-presentation surveys are higher with the mask.”
Responses have been edited for length/clarity.
