My co-worker, a brilliant investor with a knack for self-effacing and, let’s be honest, other-people-effacing also humor, said to me one day, as I clacked my way back to my desk from the pantry, balancing my caffeine of choice, a banana, and a packet of charts that I had just retrieved from the printer.
Stiletto, meet granite floor.
Four years ago, I would have probably laughed at the idea of even standing in heels, much less functioning in them. But now, I can’t imagine life without. In fact, there are days I no longer even notice they’re there, and forget that in reality, I am not 5’7”.
Having worn them daily for three years now, I am as used to them as I’ll ever be, I think. I graduated from espadrilles and wedges to kitten heels to platform heels. I’m a true stiletto gal now. I absolutely love wearing them – I love the way they look, feel, sound (notice, I said “I” not “guys”). I usually go for the standard 2.5 to 3 inch heel but I do have a pretty scary 4-incher under my desk. I don’t wear those during construction season here in Midtown Manhattan. Obviously.
But I guess this is all my (usual) long winded digressive way of conveying something that ought to be succinct. Which is: the reason my foot spears are even noticed is because I work in an office that is essentially all men, a pretty drastic 180 from my prior academic/endowment world where the sexes have equal representation, which I now know is a rarity in finance. To be honest, I rarely notice this fact anymore, except for the awkward days that I bring my time of the month bag to the bathroom with me and pray to goodness that no one sees me or asks me why I’m heading to the bathroom with a floral square bag (dammit, why can’t women’s business clothing incorporate more pockets for situations like this?)
I think that I’m basically 100% accustomed to it now… I’m lucky to have found a firm where being the fairer (and rarer) gender is not a big deal or even a morsel of a deal at all. And, reciprocally, I think (hope) that my male colleagues have also become accustomed to the decibels of discord as I strut down the hall in my Nine Wests. Over the past few months I have never once felt excluded or singled out for my gender, not that I was worried – I knew I’d love working with this team from the day I did my first round interview. My colleagues are inclusive and kind. Ironically the litmus test that assures me that I am accepted as one of them is actually that coworker making fun of my shoe noises; I’m subjected to his litany of critical humor just like all the other guys.
I bring this up not to boast about the great position I am in (ok but kind of, because my company is basically the best ever) but to dispel the myth that this environment doesn’t exist in finance. Yes, Wolf of Wall Street was totally over the top and nobody really *for-real* believes that New York is like that but it’s definitely based on something. There is definitely a perception out there that this world of investments where 5 out of 6 employees are guys, is some kind of overgrown fraternity.
When I interviewed for an investor relations position at a hedge fund right before accepting my offer at my current firm, I remember one of the heads of IR telling me that that HF is “probably the best place to work as woman in finance” because the “men are decent and not sleazy.” Now, you know there’s a problem when even the insiders have a view that the asshole misogynist per capita ratio is higher in finance/investments.
And I’m not saying that there aren’t men out there who are terrible, sexist people who happen to work in finance. It happens. But it is not everywhere, thankfully. And my experience at my current firm proves that to me, every day.
And maybe if we stop feeding the stereotype and the image that is unfortunately made so “mainstream” by grossly exaggerated cinematic portrayals, it would be less of an attraction for these types to begin with.
Maybe I got lucky – or maybe I got diligent – but I have worked for 2 great companies where guys are supportive of women and believe in true and total equality and all of that. If you see sexism in finance, point it out, learn from it. But please don’t generalize it to every single firm, every single department, every single man. Ok, time for me to log off and get off my high horse (because honestly, my stilettos are probably hurting the horse’s back).
