What Would A Dude Do?

It’s a question we find ourselves asking before applying for jobs, entering salary negotiations, asking for promotions, speaking up in meetings, even before shoving our way into the last subway seat.

Because women have been conditioned to sell ourselves short. And despite our best feminist intentions, these habits can get the best of us.

But what would a dude do? And whatever audacious, disproportionately self-assured, obnoxiously confident thing a dude does, shouldn’t we have every right to do it too?

If dudes are out there making demands, taking up space, and commanding respect, we sure as hell have every right to do the same. And then some.

Sometimes we just need a little reminder.

So, what do dudes do?

Dudes ask for more.

Statisically speaking, women don’t negotiate as much as men, contributing to the gender wage gap. In an April 2018 article, Joanne Lipman writes, “Men are four times more likely than women to ask for a raise—and when women do ask, we typically request 30% less than men do, says Carnegie Mellon University economics professor Linda Babcock, co-author of Women Don’t Ask. In a study of 78 masters degree students, she found that just 12.5% of women negotiated for their starting salary, versus 52% of men. That leads, by her estimate, to as much as $1.5 million in lost income over the woman’s career. The gap is closing somewhat among younger women, who are more likely to ask for raises and are more likely to be the family’s primary breadwinner, but women are still far from parity when it comes to negotiating pay.”

Dudes take up space.

As feminist professor Charlotte Riley points out, “men have been socialised, for their entire lives, to take up space. Men who would never express these thoughts out loud have nevertheless been brought up to believe that their right to occupy space takes precedent over anyone else’s right to be there. They spread their legs on tubes and trains, they bellow across coffee shops and guffaw in pubs, and they never, ever give way.” So let’s start taking up space. We suggest a quick game of Patriarchy Chicken during your morning commute.

Dudes assume they’ve got what it takes.

According to the article ‘Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified‘, typically men will apply for a job after only meeting 60% of the qualifications on the job description, while women are more hesitant and will only apply after meeting all 100% of the qualifications. So let’s stop selling ourselves short and start selling ourselves as candidates for jobs we may not feel 100% ready for. Dudes are already doing it every day.

Dudes talk themselves up.

This part will be about self-promotion.

Dudes share their opinions.

This part will be about mansplaining, etc.

Dudes schmooze.

This part will be about dudes schmoozing @ work while women put their head down and work and hope to be noticed, etc.