Ali and I are both professional women. We’ve worked in corporate jobs, and had a fair bit of success. I believe our colleagues both male and female have treated us as equals and peers in general. But in talking with folks about PINX I’ve come to have several questions. I don’t have answers... but I thought I’d share them, and see if anyone could provide insight.
MOST of the guys I’ve talked with PINX about are supportive of me and hope that we are able to make Just Between the Girls a success. BUT they also go on and on about how much they love when their female colleagues shirts gap. They all immediately know what I’m talking about and without exception express their disappointment that PINX actually closes the gap. I have asked each man immediately after they profess their love of the gap glimpse... WHY? You can see plenty of the girls on the internet, at home with your significant other, at the movies... you name it. There is no shortage of ta's available for viewing. WHY does my ill fitting shirt and resulting exposure make you happy?
The answers have ranged from shrugs, to long discussions about the fact that it’s a glimpse you’re not SUPPOSED to see that makes it exciting, to “they’re just so pretty to look at.” I’m sure there are lots of reasons that they seem to like the gap... but the questions that starting rising up for me are...
Does it make you think of me differently? Does it make my male or other female co-workers treat me differently? Is that good for me? Or bad? Do I care? Does it really make that big of a difference? If not all the time... sometimes?
After thinking it through quite a lot - I decided. I’m glad I now have PINX, and don’t have to worry about it either way. Beyond that - I don’t really think it makes a big difference with the men in my office who really know and already respect me. Even if they get a little peek, I think they’re still going to trust me with my work and move right past any objectification. They know the quality of my work and that’s that...
Where I think it might negatively impact my career is at the job interview stage... in a meeting with a potential client who has little to no experience with my performance... and when I’m in direct competition at the office.
When you meet someone for the first time - all those little cues help them make a decision about you. Whether you look put together... whether you’re an ‘object’ in their mind... whether they believe you’ll be able to perform to the same standards as the person next to you.