Eye opening stories

Office Design Is A Form Of “Ambient Sexism” “Reading this article was both upsetting and validating. It’s upsetting to find that so many women struggle with the same daily insecurities or discomforts at work that I do, but it’s validating to see this issue being described as real, sexist, and unacceptable. I have been struggling with whether to talk with my manager about one particular male employee who stares at me seemingly without any concern for discretion. (That’s not to say that discreetly staring at women is more acceptable than obviously staring, but it would at least prevent me from wasting brain space on this person if I was unaware of it.) It’s caused me to strategize alternate routes to the restroom so I don’t have to pass his desk (which is nearly impossible to do in our open office plan), makes me self-conscious about my choice of clothing, and distracts me from what I *should* be concentrating on at work. … [Read more...] about Readers respond: Open offices are terrible for women

To understand how people adjusted to the new office, Hirst interviewed 27 women and 13 men for one to two hours over the course of three years, with two intensive periods of observation and interviews and many other visits. Besides interviews, Hirst also participated in some of the office’s culture, having lunch and informal coffee breaks with employees and attending meetings. While some female employees felt like the new office space promoted equality, others had the opposite reaction. The researchers found that many women became hyper-aware of being constantly watched and their appearance constantly evaluated; multiple women told them that “there isn’t anywhere that you don’t feel watched.” Of the men Hirst interviewed, there was no evidence they felt similarly or changed their actions as a result of the lack of privacy. … [Read more...] about The subtle sexism of your open-plan office

Treyger: I’m pretty desperate for constant laughs. That’s why I run to crowd work all the time, because I want a laugh every 15 to 30 seconds. While I’ve been here, though, I really wanted to take the time to dig into some topics or thoughts or things from my past that don’t have real punchlines. I know the audience here is trained to sit for a minute without a laugh, so I’ve really been focusing on getting rid of my desperate need for constant laughs and talking about something that I hope will be funny, and making it funny, but like also digging into topics that fit into the show that aren’t really funny yet. … [Read more...] about 4 rising comics explain the thrilling, grueling Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where everyone wants to be the next ‘Fleabag’

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections are slated to be held on 1 December. The polls have gained a lot of attention nationally due to a high pitch campaign and war of words between Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). … [Read more...] about KCR faces BJP, AIMIM scare in Hyderabad municipal polls

Certain bodily cues tell us whether we are being triggered by truth or illusion. Truth manifests in the body as even, full, steady breaths. Our heartbeat feels peaceful, even if it is quick. Our jaws and shoulders are relaxed. In a state of illusion, our breathing is shallow and choppy. Our heartbeat feels off-beat, and our jaws and shoulders are tense. … [Read more...] about A radically simple way to figure out if someone is telling you the truth