Every once in a while I get asked how it is to work as a female in this business. What they are really wondering is, do I find myself passed over or treated badly by males in the film industry just because I’m a woman. That question always takes me off-guard. I don’t ever really think to myself as I’m working, ‘He just said that to me because I’m a woman.’ It just isn’t in the forefront of my mind. Some might say I’m naive but I hope it’s because I’m being myself and that I’ve earned respect among my peers as a good producer and not a reputation as a “female producer.” I do know that the female stereotype and sexist behavior does exist. We are in an industry where the majority of those working in positions are male. But this industry has plenty of room for women of all skill sets and personalities.
Now I will admit to one thing that I consciously do… and that is to make sure my actions and responses don’t reinforce the stereotypes that haunt women in business. The idea that women are crazy, emotional, and/or bitchy. Because I don’t consider myself any of those things, I make an effort not to say or do something that reflects those characteristics. If someone asks me how things are going I make sure not to respond with “I’m crazy right now!” or “I’m flipping out!” And I definitely try not to publicly vent about things being out of control or bad (especially not on social media, ladies!!). While it’s okay to get flustered and overwhelmed (we all feel that way at some point – and men do too!) it’s about making sure our image and reputation isn’t clouded by those real but momentary states.
So think of it as personal PR. You don’t want to be remembered by those negative adjectives which will unfortunately perpetuate the stereotype and potentially hurt us in the long run. From the beginning I vowed to create my own story and control my image. The story I choose to put out there is that I’m busy, organized, under control, and work hard to tackle anything that comes my way. And I think it’s working.