Lots of new readers today from my feature on Jalopnik! Welcome! If you haven't read it yet, you can check it out here.
There's some great sociological debates going on in the comments section. The amount of men who seem to think it's okay to be shitty to a woman because she's wearing a short skirt is truly shocking. (For the record I wear a business suit yet still had someone grab my ass today, not that it should make a difference.)
I love the comments that I'm a fake. Guys, you can't make this stuff up. This blog is just at the beginning and there are some wild stories to be told. Someone who has never worked in this field could never come up with these things, trust me.
I would just like to reiterate that MOST auto show visitors are lovely. They are respectful, friendly and help make this job a wonderful experience. The ones that aren't are indicative of a bigger societal issue. They aren't just pervy at the auto show, they obviously carry that perviness around constantly and let it out as they feel the situation warrants. They aren't just rude at the auto show, they are rude to everyone they come across whom they feel are somehow lesser than they. They aren't just bad parents at the auto show, they always let their children run around unsupervised in crowds large and small. This is merely my small attempt to call them out on that behavior (male and female offenders) and spark a discussion on why we as a society allow them to get away with it.
Much more to come. I do hope you'll keep reading!
Monday, January 18, 2010
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ReplyDelete:reads responses:
You know, I'm pretty sure that when a woman takes a job for which she has to dress in a miniskirt, black nylons, stilletto heels, and immaculate makeup and hair, and stand next to a new car, there's an implied implication that she has been directed to do so to attract attention, BECAUSE of her miniskirt, black nylons, stilletto heels, stc.
If her only duties were to inform people about all the engineering info related to the car, then...well...why is she there? A 60 year old, white haired male could do the engineering thing, just as capably as she does.
So we have eliminated her contention that she's there as a sub for the engineering staff...and she's still in the mini.
Now, since it's a fair theory that the people who hired her wanted showgoers to see her...dressed as she is...and come over for a closer look at what she's dressed in...in the hope they MAY notice the car she's standing next to, or ask her a question about it...then what's her deal? Is she a Mills College dropout, or something? Pissed they wouldn't let her wear her Birkenstocks?
Lady, if you wanna be an automotive engineer, go back to school, and lose the tart clothes. But if you wanna work in tart clothes, and skip going to school, then don't beat us up when we think you're doing a great job, and say so.
Vegas has casino girls who do essentially the same thing as you do...they hang around the tables in minis and fishnets, and keep the marks interested in the product. It's a respectable profession, much like yours, and it does require certain physical attributes. Since it's your career of choice, don't try to blame us because you're good at it.
Blame your parents.
How many engineers can present something with enough flare to keep an audience's attention?
ReplyDeleteFood for thought: A certain percentage of the population, about 1-2%, are said to be non-empathetic, as in they so not care about how their interactions affect others as long as they get what they feel they need. In that some justify their actions based on the joy it gives them. The related pervert stuff or bad business transactions, relationships and related. So a portion of people feel no regets treating you as a peice of meat simply because they really don't care about your feelings.
ReplyDeleteAs for why society allows it, well we do to an extent. I think you would be surprised the number of guys who would like to thrash jerks who treat a woman like that, but it is socially un-acceptable also. I think it would be a better place if we could... just saying.
And for those of you who are trashing the model, my GF is friggen amazing. And also a former runway model. Best woman I have met yet, and I am keeping her.
Good luck to ya!
Josh
Yes show goers should be polite and not grab you, but there's a lot in your article that is just ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote "most of us are not just there to be your eye candy"...
Wrong. That's exactly what you're there for. Otherwise you'd be replaced by a) a display of pamphlets b) a company spokesperson c) an engineer d) anyone who doesn't have their T&A hanging out of their clothes.
And then you complain about websites that have photo galleries of booth babes...
You're a model. Being eye candy and having your picture taken is your job. Don't like it? Get a different job.
Congrats for the whole DYCWTC concept. It is very interesting to see things from the other side (and even funny after reading you). As I was assuming, that job can be really annoying and frustrating at some times.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading something that went thru reasoning (something rare to find in the net).
For me, you have a clear idea of why you do that job and how to do it without degrading yourself or the gender.
I don't want to see any more comments in the blogs you were featured because I will end up really frustrated and angry as well. Like with the dumb comment above, from the man that doesn’t know anything about sociology or psychology and didn’t read carefully... I wanted to answer something to him but I don't know where to start, I'll end up with a 2 page comment and he will never read it anyway... plus he said "implied implication" DUH!
I don't use to approach models around cars at auto shows but next time I have a technical question I'll be more confident that they may know the answer.
This comment is aimed to be a compliment to your intelligence as I assume you don't get as many of them compared to compliments to your appearance.
Now that is clear that I were attracted to you because of your brain (and the prospect of a great physical appearance, I must admit), can I have your email? Hahaha, just kidding!.
P. D. I can not explain the difference between 4WD and AWD... going to wikipedia
I'm a middle aged man, a dozen years ago I had a creepy woman who ran the company I worked at (for two years) who made the grossest comments to me, all while calling me honey or various things ending in "buns". Felt like I needed to take a shower every time she talked to me. In retrospect, every guy should endure this once (much like every bar patron should work in a bar for a month) - you just don't know how annoying it is until you've been on the receiving end.
ReplyDeleteSo you find someone attractive, maybe they're dressed to show off a nice physique etc. Where does that translate to some as a license to treat them like a prostitute?
To the guy who said if you want to be an engineer go back to school, well, if you want to talk to a gal like she's a whore, go hang out at a strip club - those girls are used to it, and will charge you the appropriate price for the dubious privilege.
^
ReplyDeleteActually even strip clubs have standards of conduct. The line of what is unacceptable is still drawn at 'sexually threatening' but the standards of what constitutes that are, well, more liberal. Come to think of it I'm sure prostitutes do also. I believe this is what is called "human society," making those who don't get it "antisocial."
Josh: "As for why society allows it, well we do to an extent. I think you would be surprised the number of guys who would like to thrash jerks who treat a woman like that, but it is socially un-acceptable also. I think it would be a better place if we could... just saying"
I want to agree but as it is MLK Day I've gotta put in a word for 'nonviolent direct action.' Nothing but your own fear stops you from verbally calling people out on behavior that is out of line. The reason this BS slides (especially at shows like this but also for women in general) is that it is tacitly accepted by the peer group that doesn't speak up. Some enjoy the power, some are apathetic, the rest of us have no excuse.
I guess my question would be where do you go from here? It would seem that you'd top out at about 30...maybe 35 if you work hard at keeping yourself up. I don't think too many people would be attracted to a booth staffed by elderly women with a saggy suspension. At what point do booth models decide that maybe they better hunt out a good sugar daddy and go with the car?
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for my English not being good enough to express how I feel about you! I absilutely adore your blog and I am saying it from the bottom of my heart! :) I'm a 25-year-old boy/guy and for three years now along with the big players in the autotomotive industry in Bulgaria. I have been to several auto exhibitions myself and I know EXACTLY what you're talking about and being in the far south-east corner just makes it worse. I will tip all of my model friends and I'm sure they will be entertained and have a lot to share on the topic. Keep up the good work!
N.Likyov
p.s. - hat tip to "The Unnecessary Truck", I never did understand that perticular American thing.
Kudos for stirring up this hornets' nest. I found this blog an entertaining and informative read and will definitely return to check for more. I just came back from reading the comments on AB and Jalopnik with mixed feelings.
ReplyDeleteWhile I wholeheartedly agree with most of your points regarding appropriate behaviour, I have a hard time believing that some of the offensive reactions booth professionals have to make do with aren't somewhat expected or calculated.
Is it not the purpose of a scanty dress to inflict excitement, not a kind of classy admiration? Some manufacturers already do a good job at choosing classy outfits over the sexually-suggestive (ok, that's a bit harsh, but I sometimes feel like men are this simple) theme, but that is still rare.
The only times I ever spoke to a booth pro were at the 2008 AMI in Leipzig. I wanted to know about the weird 2-part bootlid of the Skoda Superb II and she did a fine job explaining it, she even criticized that you had to push the respective button for what seemed like 10 seconds, which she deemed too long to be bearable. I thought she did a remarkable job compared to other representatives there, in the end I didn't like the Superb's overall size and she led me over to the Octavia RS estate, talked me through specs etc and had an answer to everything I came up with. Much better job than one of the Porsche guys did back then, he introduced the 997 GT2 as a stronger, performance-oriented and more focused version of the Turbo but somehow forgot to tell about the deletion of AWD. Humm, this was a long paragraph for such a details. But this ain't paper, so...
Back to this blog. I'll check this out regularly and also look for reactions in the respective media.
Really enjoyed the read, it inspired quite some thoughts. Funny, too. Like I said, kudos.
Like your work :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vg.no/bil-og-motor/artikkel.php?artid=579273
This smells like a viral campaign ?
ReplyDeleteAnyway job well done. You got my attention :)
I LOVE the auto show. We try to go every year. The models are all very beautiful and I think they look like they are enjoying their jobs. My husband's head may turn for the girl, but lucky him she is standing near a car! lol
ReplyDeleteAnyway... Don't hate the pretty girls for being pretty!
Wow. Your awesome. Keep it up. and this is from an automobile engineer (who is a guy in case ur curious).
ReplyDeleteI always maintain that a woman can wear everything she wants even if this is a bikini or nothing at all and still should be respected. Just because. If she doesn't want to wear sexy, see for instance Clinton or Merkel or me, she should not have to. I don't wear makeup, get used to it. You wear elaborate costumes at work, people need to get used to that too. Respect is given to a human being, not a facade. So the things a woman wears are not the things a woman is. Guys just need to get a grip, learn control and stop feeling entitled.
ReplyDeleteAs a Product Specialist myself, I'd like to point out a part some of you obviously missed. Our "job" is to educate consumers on the product and most of the time, we are dressed in business attire. So, our job is not to flirt with you or to entice you to hopefully notice the car. Yes, we are all well-kept attractive people. But we are people and still deserve to be treated with respect. A skirt does not imply promiscuity and we didn't choose to wear it! Wanna compliment me on my knowledge? Even compliment my appearance? That's fine. Grow up and do it maturely.
ReplyDeleteHey there,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you go through such garbage. It seems that todays gentlemen are more genitalmen than what we have come to expect.
Thanks for making a difference and showing us guys that its not cool to be an immature ape.
P.S. What was your fav car to show?
Now that you've educated every guy and just how un-original their lame attempts at flirting are, I'm sure those that have read this blog will cease and desist. Of course one tenth of one percent of this week's Show patrons will have read this, and I'm sure you will be able t quickly identify those who haven’t. I admit to a little staring if something catches my eye, but don't be alarmed, I stare because my eyes are bad not because I'm dangerous. I realize that staring can be creepy too, so I promise to do it when your not looking so as not to creep you out. Is there an etiquette that says you will not call me out for looking if I do my best to not make it obvious? Here's a tip for you, when you see me squinting that will be the 'tell' that I'm a just poor sighted admirer, as opposed to a crazed stalker. Here's hoping that squinting from a safe distance is not a frowned upon as touching, bumping, or using lame pick-up lines. See you the show.
ReplyDelete