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©copyright 2019 Detroit Jewish News

6 August 29 • 2019
jn

Editor’
s note: Because of the nature of 
this op-ed, the identity of this writer will 
remain anonymous. The JN has verified 
the source.
I 

work in the Detroit Jewish 
community. I left a high-paying 
corporate job more than five 
years ago to shift my career into 
something more meaningful. While 
culture-shocked at first, I was quickly 
embraced and lauded by peers for 
making the shift. I felt proud of myself. 
While money matters, happiness and 
fulfillment felt more important. I had 
found my happy place. 
Shifting from the for-profit to 
the nonprofit world, I immediately 
noticed differences (fewer resources, 
less money, more opinions). I was 
(and still am) continually impressed 
by all the heart and drive to help our 
community. I fully believe and support 
the mission of the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit and its affiliated 
agencies. However, with all the passion 
that exists, there is one pervasive issue 
that has continually surprised me. 
My female co-workers and I 
constantly experience “micro-
inequities.
” These are small messages, 

gestures and statements that devalue 
and discourage an individual in their 
workplace. Micro-inequities are often 
subtle and hard-to-prove, frequently 
unconscious and occur wherever 
people are perceived to be “different.
” In 
this case, different is female. And while 
certainly not exclusive to the Detroit 
Jewish community, the regularity with 
which I have observed this behavior 
is simply shocking — well beyond 
anything I experienced in corporate 
America.
I am part of a team within my 
agency, with a few men and a few 
women. Yet the women are consistently 
asked to book meetings, take minutes 
and perform menial tasks more than 
our male counterparts on the team. 
One female coworker was told she 
needs to “smile more” and that she 
doesn’
t look “happy enough” around 
the office. A male coworker once 
referred to two females who worked 
for him as “his girls.
” Another female 
coworker, in a senior position, was 
verbally berated by the CEO in a way 
that I have never heard him speak to a 
man. 
During an early morning board 
meeting, I was setting up a presentation 

and my male coworkers were 
schmoozing. When the CEO realized 
breakfast was not ready on time, he 
looked at me and said, “Go into the 
kitchen and help them get breakfast 
ready.
” Of all the staff members there, I 
was actually the only one not standing 
around as I was trying to prepare 
everything for the daily meeting. And 
yet I, the lone female at the time, was 
the one directed to go to the kitchen.
Moreover, while the staff at my 
agency is mostly female, the board 
is two-thirds male. Successful 
businessmen make comments like 
“good for you, you actually know the 
numbers” and “nice job ordering the 
food.
” Female board members have 
been referred to as “overly emotional” 
and, thus, have had their opinions 
dismissed behind closed doors. 
I know these are not the #metoo 
moments other females have shared 
in the last couple of years. I’
m in 
no way comparing the gender bias 
I’
ve experienced to the atrocious 
workplace behavior associated with that 
movement. 
These are subtle, but mighty, 
expressions of bias. Bit by bit, they 
peck away at the morale of the female 

guest column
Gender Bias — Alive & Well in 2019

letters

Shocked About Smear
I’
m really surprised that Lisa Brown 
would smear Marty Knollenberg with an 
accusation that was thoroughly investi-
gated by the Livingston County prosecu-
tor and dismissed as without merit (“
A 
Life Remembered,
” Aug. 15, page 20).
To review, Brown claimed Knollenberg 
“assaulted” her during a 2016 State of the 
County Address — in a room of over 
600 people. The people present said it 
didn’
t happen. The prosecutor said it 
didn’
t happen and dismissed her case. 
But now Brown floats a phantom phone 
call from Brooks Patterson claiming 
he expressed regret over Knollenberg’
s 
actions. What a load of revisionist gar-
bage!
Brooks didn’
t support Brown’
s version 
of events when he was alive. And Brown 
never mentioned the call publicly until 
now. But for her own political ends, she’
s 
now putting words in the mouth of a 
dead man. Disgraceful.
Fortunately, we don’
t need Brooks to 
correct Lisa Brown’
s lie — we have the 
public record of the Livingston County 
prosecutor and the sworn testimony of 
the witnesses present.
The Jewish News should be ashamed 
for publishing this and allowing Lisa 
Brown to smear Marty Knollenberg with 
long ago disproven charges.

— Jennifer Murray 

Okemos

continued on page 8

