In my most recent job I have encountered sexism more so than any other, I work in the beer industry. However two incidents stand out from male colleagues who had issues with me because I was their boss. One was older one was younger. The older one admitted that he had an issue with me as the boss because I was a woman. The younger proved to be unsuitable for his role at the company and as his manager I told him he would have to improve to keep his job, this he didn’t do and he was dismissed. The next week he phoned the company owner to talk about how I had bullied him and that I was the main problem in the company. Even after the company owner, a man, told him it was not just me who thought he was not suitable for the role but him as well, he still sent an abusive email against me specifically, with everything he thought I had said and done wrong. Nothing was his fault and I was the only one who had a problem with his working standards. During his time at the workplace he didn’t like it when I offered advice or encouraged him telling him I wanted him to succeed. He appeared to think he didn’t have to listen to me and believed I was wrong and he was right. It saddens me to think this young guy will go through life like this, because it will make it very difficult for him. I don’t know whether I got his attitude across clearly but there was an under current of disrespect from the start that I didn’t see him show to other male managers. I won’t let it get me down because it’s pretty pathetic that he felt this way and shows a lack of intelligence and character, I just feel sorry for him.
