Another viewpoint of "Leaning In"
In Lean In, Sandberg admits the privilege her class, education and executive position afford her, but she does not articulate her racial privilege as clearly. It would have been helpful for Sandberg to acknowledge that a Latina or African- American woman in her position would be burdened by gender and race. If, as Sandberg notes, female executives are often deemed hyper-aggressive, what does that mean for women who, thanks to long-held stereotypes, are often viewed as aggressive simply by dint of their race? As Angelica Perez-Litwin notes in a Huffington Post review of Lean In, “An assertive Latina at work risks being seen as ‘difficult’ or ‘opinionated.’ A confident voice level makes her ‘confrontational’ or ‘loud.’”
By acknowledging race, as she did class and education, Sandberg could have made Lean In more accessible to a more diverse group of women. Yet what she has to say is not useful only to white, Ivy League-educated, millionaire executives at Fortune 500 companies.
So beautiful. I love exploring abandoned places when I have the chance.
Some of what she says, "I’ll also tell her to make time for herself. Unplug from the grid. Carve out space for solitude." makes sense for anyone. But then she ends with this: "Motherhood is not a job. It is a joy."
I will rejoice when this new wave of let's embrace all things motherhood/housewife as the only meaningful paths for women in American culture finally subsides.
For the record, that book is already on my wishlist. It sounds awesome. But I second the criticisms of Pollan. I recently read the new illustrated Food Rules and had to put the book down several times.
Happier note, so excited to get my hands on these
two books.
And for the sappy,
today is my hubby and I's third wedding anniversary. In other unrelated news, I'm going to go pluck the gray hairs from my head. Can't believe it's been three years already but looking forward to celebrating more with this cutie pie.
