Research Design: While reading Feminism is for Everybody, The F-Word, and other articles, an issue really stood out in my mind. The issue of unfair treatment in the workplace distressed me. I have read about unequal wages between men and women, as well as inequality in other areas, such as maternity leave and opportunities for advancement. I was enraged when I read about this, for I believe in fair and equal treatment in and out of the workplace, not just between sexes, but also between ethnicities. This issue incited my thoughts, and I began to look for a way to gain a better understanding of what is going on in my community. One article I have read, aside from class, brought in some equality issues in the police force including pay and overall treatment. In order to further my understanding, I would need to ask questions concerning treatment by supervisors, co-workers, and citizens.
Methodology: I plan to gather information on this subject by interviewing a former female police officer, and to see her reactions about these inequalities.
Interview Questions and answers with Tasha Stacey:
1. 1. Who did you work for and what was your position?
af I was an OU police officer, and part of the patrol unit that patrolled the streets.
2. 2. How long did you work as a police officer?
I held that position for four years.
3. 3. Were there any female supervisors in your office?
There was one other female in the patrol unit, and she was above me, but only because she had been there longer than I had.
4. 4. What obstacles, if any, did you encounter while performing your work duties as a female?
My size was the biggest obstacle. I was very small, especially compared to the men. I had to complete training where I learned physical techniques to help me learn to control people that were bigger than I.
5. 5. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a supervisor because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?
No.
6. 6. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a peer or co-worker because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?
No.
7. 7. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a citizen because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?
The first person that I ever had to fight was a 40-year-old female, who was not very respectful. I more often got into fights with young males, who were less respectful than older males. Young females were also more respectful to me than older females.
8. 8. Concerning wages, do you feel you received equal wages for your job as your male co-workers?
Yes, I had a partner who I completed my training with. He was a male, and we made the same amount.
9. 9. Was there a fair and equitable pay scale in place for both male and female officers?
Yes, there were equal raises for the time a person had been there, as well as regular yearly raises for everyone.
10. 10. Did you or anyone you know or worked with experience harassment on the job because of his/her gender?
No.
Field Notes: Being in a mainly male-dominated field of work put pressures on Tasha to prove herself as an able worker and police officer. Once the males saw that she was able to do her job fully, she were treated like an equal by the rest of the men.
Write Up: Based on Tasha's reactions from the interview, I think that for the most part, inequality in the workplace has subsided greatly. Especially when looking at a male-dominated field of work, I found no evidence of unequal treatment based on Tasha's gender. I really do believe that things have changed, and I think that this is a perfect example. Tasha proved to herself and her co-workers that she was fully able to perform a "man's job", and she excelled at something that not many people would have thought she would. I also think that more research needs to be done on this subject, for I found no evidence of unfair treatment. More research needs to be done concerning this in the male-dominated fields in order to prove the inequalities that are being put forward.
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