Thursday, September 11, 2008

straining humanity

Here is something written originally by Jim Packer. He might want to qualify it, but the fact is that he said it, and Gender blog cites him and so it goes,
    By this I mean that, other things being equal, a situation in which a female boss has a male secretary ... will put more strain on the humanity of both parties than if it were the other way around. This is part of the reality of the creation, a given fact that nothing will change.
Can a school administrator not have male teachers under her, can a queen not have loyal male subjects, can a teacher not give instructions to a male student support worker - without straining his humanity?

The problem is that the inability of men to work properly under women, if women are in the lead, is a reality of human nature. The question is whether this is a good thing, a product of God's perfect creation; or an imperfect thing, the product of our fallen state.

Frankly, does it matter? If God has given a man a job where he is under a female boss, he ought to comply without worrying about whether it strains his humanity.

6 comments:

Amanda said...

Interesting... I wonder how he decided the strain was based on humanity and not something more along the lines of, say, pride (which would be the problem when any person, male or female can't submit to their boss).

Lynne said...

To be honest, I don't think I have the foggiest idea what straining one's humanity means. It sounds very high-minded, but it's actually a phrase plucked out of thin air with neither biblical nor rational meaning attached to it. perhaps what's being strained is one's sinful human nature, forcing us to become more Christlike, loving, humble and faith-filled by stepping out of our comfort zone?

Anonymous said...

That's so ridiculous. I have 23 people reporting to me and 5 of them are men. I have never encountered any such 'strain'- on either side. Packer probably really wants to say that he believes it would strain the 'masculinity' and 'femininity' of those involved but doesn't dare say it or can't be that honest.
Maureen

Lin said...

I also have had male staffers reporting to me for 16 years and have never encountered one problem in this respect. It is about professionalism and the leader sets the tone for that.

They just make this stuff up as they go based on their presuppositions. You have to wonder how many guys hear this and think they SHOULD have a problem with their female boss or something is wrong with them. Sheesh.

Suzanne McCarthy said...

I do think they just make this stuff up as they go along. I am not surprised that this was said, but surprised that it was cited.

Kathy said...

Yes, they DO make some of their stuff up as they go along. Where else would the stuff they say come from? The real question is WHY DO they make stuff up?