Perfect Girls, Starving Bodies

“If I'm not thinking about my body or calories, I'm probably sleeping or dead,” confesses a 14-year-old in Courtney E. Martin’s new book, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. Sound familiar? We’ll I’m running out to get my copy, especially since I’d found Martin’s wisdom so in tune with my own fear and loathing of Dan Kindlon’s Alpha Girls a few month's back as reported on the Women's Professional Village.

Kindlon spent precious time backslapping and patronizing successful, aggressive young women without seeing that his tale reveals how this "new paradigm" of women's lib has de-natured and de-sensitized our young. He likes the monsters we have created while Martin recoils in horror.

Of Perfect Girls, Publisher’s Weekly reports, “Beneath the high-achieving 'perfect girl' surface, seven million American girls and women suffer from an eating disorder; 90% of high school–aged girls think they are overweight," and calls stories from the author’s over 100 interviews “heartbreaking.”

You can check out the Women’s Professional Village lambaste of Alpha Girls and then Martin’s book. But, don’t run to Amazon. To date, they’re the only major bookseller who refuses to stop selling dog fighting manuals in the wake of the Michael Vick outrage.

Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body
Free Press, $25 (256p) ISBN 978-0-7432-8796-8)

Column: Now What? Embracing the "Real World" after College

After a summer of housecleaning, the staff is pleased to spotlight one of several exciting new additions to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online and our company's extended IMDiversity.com network.

A new ongoing column housed at THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online, Now What? Embracing the "Real World" after College, provides sound guidance on thriving in "the real world" for those making the transition from college to the workplace. The column is created by Chaz Kyser, editor, public speaker, journalism instructor at Langston University, and author of the book, Embracing the Real World: The Black Woman’s Guide to Life After College.

Although many of the articles are related to Ms. Kyser's interest in the college-to-work experiences of young African-American women in particular, the editors find that the insights and practical advice contained in the column are valuable and relevant to readers of all genders and backgrounds -- even those who may have been out of university and working for a while now. Some of Ms. Kyser's work will also be seen on IMDiversity.com in the coming year, as well as here on the blogs.

As always, we invite interested readers to leave a comment or question for Ms. Kyser, and we are particularly interested in having readers share thoughts about your own college-to-career transitions as we approach back to school season.

Report: Accounting Firms Face Significant Risk of Turnover by Women and Men of Color

IMDiversity recently published an announcement of a new report by Catalyst.org, Report: Accounting Firms Face Significant Risk of Turnover by Women and Men of Color. The report is the first in a new series by Catalyst focusing on challenges surrounding the retention of people of color -- women and men -- in specific industries. The research organization has issued high profile reports in the past analyzing the participation of women in corporate roles, often parsing out differences in the career paths of and obstacles facing white women and women of color. The new series appears aimed at expanding the research focus to include males as well, while offering observations on strategies for diversity recruitment and retention, broadly defined.

In a Q&A, the researchers at Catalyst discussed the impetus behind the new series' approach, and some of the current study's findings...


Q: Why did Catalyst decide to do this study?
A: Previous Catalyst research documented differences in the experiences of white women and women of color and also highlighted top barriers to advancement for women of color in corporate settings. In addition, Catalyst’s 2006 Census revealed that women of color hold only 3.1 percent of Fortune 500 board seats. This 2007 research on retention of women and men of color provides context for Catalyst’s forthcoming series of large-scale studies on women of color in professional services firms.
Catalyst’s groundbreaking report series, Women of Color in Corporate Management, was the largest and most comprehensive examination of African-American women, Asian women, and Latinas in professional and managerial positions in the United States. Demand for this series remains high.

Q: Why is it particularly important to accounting and other professional services firms to invest in the retention of women and men of color?
A: The client service-centric nature of professional services firms renders the retention of talent particularly important for the accounting industry. Competition for top talent has always been fierce in the accounting industry. With changing client relationships, regulatory changes, and globalization, firms are faced with more work and longer hours. Firms cannot afford to train employees and then see many of their “best and brightest” leave to pursue other career options. Thus, if firms want to maintain a competitive advantage, it is imperative that they focus on retaining women and men of color.

Q: What are the key findings in this report?
A: This report shows that approximately 50% of women and men of color do not feel obligated to stay with their current firm.

-It is a matter of concern for accounting firms that between 37 and 50
percent of people of color surveyed harbor a general intent to leave.

-Women of color are more likely than men of color to leave for more
money and to do similar tasks at another firm.

-Nearly a third of women of color (29.1%) and nearly one-fifth of men of
color (17.3%) were at risk of leaving within the year during which the study was
conducted.

-“Imperfect execution” still impedes full realization of a firm’s
commitment to support diversity and inclusion. Findings suggest that
although organizations make a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion,
often there are perceived disconnects between expressed commitment and actual
implementation of policies, programs, and initiatives.

Q: What types of factors cause employees to leave firms?
A: Factors that cause employees to leave their firms can be divided into two categories: “pull” and “push” factors. Pull factors arise from outside and include offers of high-paying jobs at other firms. Push factors arise from within the current employer and can include a perceived disconnect between a firm’s commitment to diversity and the execution of the practices that support that commitment. Whereas employers have little control over pull factors, firms can help retain their workforce by focusing on the push factors over which they have significant control.

Q: Did you find specific examples of these “push” factors that are causing people of color to leave their accounting firms?
A: One of the push factors this study identified was the “imperfect execution” of a firm’s commitment to diversity. Perceived gaps between diversity policy and practice are very much noticed by women and men of color. Those surveyed felt there is a perceived exclusionary environment and a lack of receptivity to outsider groups at large accounting firms, along with a lack of accountability when it comes to diversity policies. These examples show that diversity policies are not filtering down to racial and ethnic minority groups as effectively as they could.

Other push factors include a lack of access to informal networks, stereotyping, double-standards, and a lack of development opportunities. All of these push factors create an exclusionary work environment that make it challenging for women and men of color to advance.

Q: Why should organizations care about these factors? Can’t they just replace employees who leave?
A: There is a clear business case for retaining women and men of color. From an economic standpoint, when employees leave and replacements must be hired, recruiting costs, training time, and lower productivity associated with new employees are expected results. Research suggests that the cost of a professional or a manager leaving an organization can be as high as twice the average associate’s salary or a minimum of one year’s worth of salary and benefits. A diverse workforce also inherently brings to the table a diversity of thought and perspective that is extremely valuable in today’s global economy, particularly as the number of women and people of color entering the accounting industry continues to grow. In addition, as clients demand the expertise that comes with experience, firms can no longer afford to train their employees and watch them leave.

Q. What can organizations do to create an inclusive work environment that will reduce attrition and retain their top talent, including people of color?
A: To build awareness and more understanding regarding the experiences and perceptions of women and men of color, senior leaders, human resources and diversity professionals, and managers can follow these action steps:

Assess the work environment.
-Find out about your organization’s diversity strategy.
-Use internal surveys, focus groups, and interviews to document, by subgroup, the experiences and perceptions of women and men of color.
Self-assess: Examine your own opinions, assumptions, and behavior.
-How inclusive are you about socializing with staff members from different backgrounds?
-What priority do you give to institutional supports for staff members who are from backgrounds different from yours?
-Do your expectations for the performance of your staff who are of color vary from those
for your other staff?
-Do you ever make assumptions based on stereotypes?
Develop closer relationships with women and men of color.
-Learn their perspectives.
-Make an effort to ask women and men of color about their perspectives, backgrounds, and interests.
-Identify subgroups of women of color and men of color in your organization and go out of your way to learn about their unique experiences and challenges.
-Increase understanding of differences and similarities between groups and within groups, through education and informal dialogues, one-on-one and in groups.
-Encourage differences in behavioral and work styles.
Communicate and demonstrate your firm’s commitment to diversity.
-Use training programs, one-on-one mentoring with senior leaders, inclusion in high-visibility programs, and networking opportunities.
-Integrate diversity initiatives into routine organizational practices such as recruitment, orientation, training, career-development tools, and succession planning.
Hold managers accountable for the retention and advancement of women and men of color.
-Create clearly articulated plans for long-term development of women and men of color.
-Hold managers accountable for providing critical development opportunities and high-visibility assignments necessary for advancement.
-Review managers’ performance evaluations of subordinates by race/ethnicity and gender of subordinates.

About Catalyst
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit corporate membership research and advisory organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women and business. With offices in New York, San Jose, Toronto, and Zug, and the support and confidence of more than 340 leading corporations, firms, business schools, and associations, Catalyst is connected to business and its changing needs and is the premier resource for information and data about women in the workplace. In addition, Catalyst honors exemplary business initiatives that promote women’s leadership with the annual Catalyst Award.

Aerospace Corp. Selects Dr. Wanda M. Austin New President and CEO

Aerospace Corp. Selects Dr. Wanda M. Austin New President and CEO
To succeed Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr. upon his retirement on January 1

Dr. Austin currently serves as the senior vice president of The Aerospace Corporation’s National Systems Group in Chantilly, VA. She has been with the company since 1979, and has served in positions of increasing responsibility, including general manager of the MILSATCOM (Military Satellite Communications) Division and senior vice president of the Engineering and Technology Group. Austin will be succeeded by Dr. Manuel De Ponte, currently general manager of the MILSATCOM Division...

Dr. Austin has received numerous awards and citations, including the Air Force Scroll of Achievement, the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal, the U.S. Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the Air Force Space and Missile System Center’s Martin Luther King Spirit of the Dream Award, the Society of Women Engineers Upward Mobility Award, and the Women in Aerospace Outstanding Achievement Award.

The Aerospace Corporation (www.aero.org) is an independent, nonprofit company that provides objective technical analyses and assessments for national security space programs and selected civil and commercial space programs in the national interest...

Release: Raytheon Honored by Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network

Release: Raytheon Honored by Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network

A June 12, 2007 release reports that the Waltham, Massachusetts-based Raytheon Company has received the Breakthrough Award at the 2007 Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network (WEPAN) annual conference in Orlando, June 10-13.

The Breakthrough Award "honors an employer for creating a work environment that enhances the career success of women engineers of all ethnicities. Raytheon was selected for its institutional structures and programs that help foster diversity, especially for its women employees."

Raytheon has been a long-time supporter of IMDiversity and THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine. Jobs with Raytheon appear routinely on the IMDiversity.com Career Center, including but not limited to a wide array of engineering opportunities at all levels, and in the U.S. and abroad. Raytheon was also named among the TOP 100 DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2006 in the Universum IDEAL Employer Survey — Diversity Edition for 2006, published in THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine. We congratulate them on this recognition by WEPAN.

Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network (WEPAN.org) is a national not-for-profit organization with over 600 members from nearly 200 engineering schools, small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations, and non-profit organizations.

The Perils of "Women on War"

In my Women's Professional Village article of a while back, Women on War, on female conflict correspondents, I alluded to these courageous women's very real fears of sexual assault, quoting former war reporter Judith Matloff.
I merely touched the surface of the issue's harrowing realities, with little of the depth and intensity it merits. But Matloff, a contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review, has since more than ably taken up the slack, with her slant focusing on the cynical aspects of coverups.
Alternet's posted a reprint from the May/June's CJR that I dutifully offer you.

Female War Reporters Hide Sexual Abuse To Continue Getting Assignments

Will a Face Job Save Your Job?

If you're a late- or even post-generation Xer, like some folks very near and dear to my heart, and fearful of losing your job and well-earned cushy paycheck to a young chick or chica, think twice before going for the tuck, the tox, the lift or the lipo says AlterNet's Margaret M. Gullett.

First, she argues, they really don't make you look younger. And second, also arguably, despite the fact that midlife workers remain between jobs longer than their younger counterparts, and when they do find work, it's usually at lower wages, Ms. Gullett cautions, "...anyone hoping to maximize her income by investing in expensive and hazardous products and procedures should think again."

Read Face Lifts: A Frightening New Job Strategy and YOU (and I'll) decide.