Man! I feel like a woman!

Today, I came in to work 10 minutes later than usual, with two bags in one hand, and a plate of breakfast in the other. I looked for a place to put my bags and plate down, but all my desk space was taken up by this rather large pink teddy bear-

Anyone who knows me will know that I don't quite appreciate anything that is pink, fake, fluffy or meant for kids.  

In expected fashion, I screamed out to no one is general, until my pink-loving neighbor picked it up and took it far far away from me. After putting my bags down, and getting in a bite or two, I spent a few minutes pulling Maya's leg for wanting to use the bear as a training aid. 

An hour later, Sam pings me, saying that the rather large pink teddy bear belonged to someone on the team and that they were upset with the way I'd spoken about it. 

I pinged this owner of the rather large pink teddy bear to apologize, and here's how the conversation went:

Me: hey

Owner of the rather large pink teddy bear: hey sup

Me: hey - i didnt know that the teddy was yours!

i'm just not a big kid or teddy fan -

didnt mean to hurt you in anyway

sorry :(

Owner of the rather large pink teddy bear: okay

cool

Me: Sorry, owner of the rather large pink teddy bear! Please don't take it personally

I'm that way with kids/teddys with everyone!

Owner of the rather large pink teddy bear: cool

Me: :)

Owner of the rather large pink teddy bear: my team gifted it to me

I guess they will feel more bad than me

Me: sorry!

Owner of the rather large pink teddy bear: np

What was she expecting me to say? Did expect me to stand up in the team area and apologize to all those who were responsible for the existence of the rather large pink teddy bear? I didn't feel the need to, and so I didn't bother to say anything more than a "sorry!" We are after all, in a professional environment, and we are all full grown adults. 

A rather large pink teddy bear surely doesn't stand for either the professional environment or for the full grown adults. Why was it such a big deal, then? Did it mean so much to her simply because it still made her feel like a little girl? Did the teddy bear in some way offer her some protection from the real world?

The owner of the rather large pink teddy bear is a classic example of the kind of women who make it harder for other talented and independent women to survive the world - not because they carry around large pink teddy bears, but simply because they are choosing to continue to be girls and not allow themselves to turn into women. They are choosing to be weak and vunerable, and are happy to let the world know. And the world is ready to support and protect them. 

The same world finds it difficult to deal with an independent, talented and powerful woman. 

If a woman displays any kind of work ethic - she's not being flexible.

If a woman has an opinion - she's arrogant.

If a woman is making sense - it isn't going to be scaleable. 

If a woman is pretty - she must be really dumb.

If she isn't pretty - she's a geek.

If the woman's independent - she's a rebel.

If she's influencial - she's manipulative. 

The world (note: I'm not saying 'men,' because most women do this) is ready to support the weak and vunerable woman, calling out for attention. Who'll stand up for the independent, talented and powerful woman, then? It's the other independent, talented and powerful women who are doing this, and will continue to. 

Everyone else is yet to grow up. 

~d

PS- Some would say that I'm just being insensitive. I don't think so. I think I'm just living in the real world, facing real situations and responding to them realistically.