While pundits like to cite the few prominent high profile women as a sign that we are a post-feminist society, those of us who work with different groups of women or see our daughters treated as second class citizens know differently. And you are so right: discrimination comes in many forms, subtle, insidious and hard to discern. But we can all imagine a more equitable society for our sons( who also lose out when women are discriminated against) and daughters than the one we are living in. Now we have to make it happen. Thank you for all you’re doing.
Best,
Barbara

Dictionary.com defines it as: SEXISM –noun
1.attitudes or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles.
2.discrimination or devaluation based on a person’s sex, as in restricted job opportunities; esp., such discrimination directed against women.

the Cultural Dictionary defines it as:
The belief that one sex (usually the male) is naturally superior to the other and should dominate most important areas of political, economic, and social life. Sexist discrimination in the United States in the past has denied opportunities to women in many spheres of activity. Many allege that it still does. (See also affirmative action, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, glass ceiling, and National Organization for Women.)

thanks for posting. -nml

I wanted to respond to the comment that it was surprising that I hadn’t experienced gender discrimination or that perhaps I was afraid to admit it. I have built my entire career on the business side of sports in both the NFL and NBA. I have worked for and with some incredible people and due to my position in sales, have created relationships with the most prominent members of the business community. The recurring theme for me has always been that hard work pays off. I’ve overcome plenty of obstacles during my 15 year sports career (aging stadiums/arenas, team performances, ownership changes, poor economy, negative publicity, perception of the teams and our players, etc) that have posed some incredible challenges. Those are the challenges that I seem to thrive on, though. After hearing some of the stories from my fellow panelists, I feel lucky to say that overcoming gender hurdles hasn’t been a part of my story.

My reason for wanting to respond is to reiterate the message that not every female is going to hit a glass ceiling and hopefully in 2010 that is something we can celebrate instead of question. I’m beyond grateful to the women before me and beside me who paved the way and continue to pave the way for me to be treated as an equal in the business world. I’m also grateful to the men who I have worked for whose expectations of me have been the same as that of their male staff, who have helped me to achieve my goals and who have been open enough with information to teach me what I need to know to take the next steps in my career.

I do acknowledge that there are still universal inequalities to overcome, just as there are with race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Hopefully more and more, the best people for the job continue to find the success they deserve and I will be forever committed to helping the younger generation of women climb that ladder…