When my daughter was about three or four years old, and I was looking for extra money, I came across a listing in the local classifieds for a part-time public relations director. I had some media and print experience for my tender age (around 29) and it sounded like good resume building material.
But it was for the Local Girl Scout Council.
I was living in Amarillo and it never even occurred to me at the time that a man applying for the job would be unusual; there was a job open and it was a good entry level position for someone like me. I mailed in my resume and cover letter and, about a week later, got a call to come in for an interview. I was asked to come in a few days later by a lady with a definite southern accent. I should point out that anyone from Texas knows that a southern accent and a Texas accent are not the same thing.
It was only during the interview with this charming lady, who it turned out was from Mississippi, that she raised the issue about my being a man applying for a job with the Girl Scouts. I can't remember my exact reply to be honest, but it must have impressed her because the next week she offered me the job.
Since I had worked in media before, I had television contacts and there was also a list of print contacts kindly left behind by the lady who previously held the position. I was asked to join the Untied Way Speakers Bureau and go about to various civic organizations, talking up Girl Scouts, the benefits it had for girls of all ages and, of course, the need for community support. There was a fellow who always spoke before me who was involved with support for drug and alcohol intervention. He would always lead with "Hi, I'm Jim and I'm an alcoholic."
After his presentation, I'd get up and say "Hi, my name is Bob and I'm a Girl Scout" It was a laugh getter and segued perfectly into my explaining why a man was there talking about Girl Scouts. I got along great with the girls and we rocked to cookie roll-out that year.
Then the other shoe dropped.
My sweet, southern, council director called me in to her office and told me some were starting to make noise about a man being in the position when Girl Scouts were about, well, girls. I was a bit taken aback at first and then offered to meet with some of the troop leaders who were voicing their reservations. It seemed like a reasonable course of action. Turned out I was wrong.
Just as soon as I arrived at the home of the ladies in question, I felt like I had been called to a mafia sit down, except more like sweat pant clad moms ready to pounce. And not in a cheesy porn premise kind of way. Their position was simply put and intractable and went something like this: "Girl Scouts are for girls, to be ran by girls and should concentrate solely on adult FEMALE role models. No kidding, no discussion. I countered that being the father of a young daughter that she should see that men and women, more to the point mom AND dad can and should work together in all that their little darlings do. I also mentioned that wanting me to go based solely on my sex could be construed as being in bad taste, illegal even. Just a thought.
They looked at me like I was speaking Latin. Had I been speaking Latin, the phrase that would have come to mind is, "Cuius testiculos habeas" or roughly, "When you have them by the balls." They had mine and that was that. Girl Scouts can have councils, directors, boards and all of that, but it's the troop leaders, the mothers on the ground who make it go and there would be no GSUSA without them. Period. I walked out knowing they would never change their minds and the council would have to jettison me, it was just a matter of when. And they never even offered me cookies.
Sure enough, about a month later or so, was called in to the director's office and was told it was "Just not working out" and, lo and behold, there was a funding crisis afoot for my particular position. Of course she could not say I was being dismissed for being a man, that would be, what's the word? Illegal. I took it in good grace and they even through me a little pot luck going away soirée complete with green bean salad.
I had not hard feeling for two reasons: One, I knew I was about to be offered a job with my local congressman and that tends to ease the blow. Two, and more importantly, I knew from having five sisters and a wife that women are often shafted just for being women. I saw my discharge as my contribution to maintaining some sort of balance in the universe, though there is still a long ways to go. To my knowledge I was the only man to ever work for the council that, in it's various incarnations has been around seventy some years. I'll take that and always wish them well.
To connect with Bob, follow his blog or find him on Facebook.
If you liked this story, please share it! If you have a story YOU would like to share, you can submit it here.
Image courtesy of thelazygamer.net
0 comments