Gender Roles

Apparently immigrant men in Denmark are encroaching on "traditional" women's vocations. What I find amusing is the fact that Danes believe they are not sexist. Maybe you don't find it as much in Copenhagen, but in the boys' club that is LEGO, it is rampant. I often feel like I have two great big strikes against me in this company--I'm American and I'm a woman. I don't know which irks me more.

Okay, rant about work... The company language of LEGO is supposedly English. However, all the signage in the office is in Danish. I lost a bunch of money in the vending machine the other day because I couldn't read how to use it (vending machine should be easy, right?!). I had quite a hard time changing my outgoing voice mail message because all the prompts are in Danish. Any email I get from HR is in Danish. I am constantly asking people in meetings to please speak English... I know I've been here a long time but I've been trying to learn Danish since before I left NYC and I still can't understand a meeting if it's in Danish. Grr.

Back to the article:

"The untraditional career choice could give bonuses in the form of career advancement. Men in women-dominated professions experience an elevator effect. Managers believe they should be transported through the system."

Does that strike anyone else as wrong?!