Ernst & Young, one of the top accounting firms of the world, is under the public eye for a very controversial training program they had conducted for female employees of the company.
According to a report by News18, 30 women employees of the company had been given a leadership training program called Power-Presence-Purpose or PPP consisting of a 55-page presentation instructing them on how to dress, behave, and speak to fit into a male-dominated company. The training program was misogynistic, regressive, and downright sexist, to say the least.
The 55-page presentation was handed over to a HuffPost employee who in a report mentioned the appalling instructions that were expected of women to follow in the company. Some of them include:
- Don’t flaunt your body because sexuality “scrambled” the minds of men and women.
- Women should have a “polished” appearance – manicured nails, nicely cut hair, well-cut attire that complements the body type, etc.
- Don’t show skin.
- “Speak briefly” because women often “ramble” and “miss the point”. They should also consider “wait(ing) for their turn to speak”.
- Women are not to “confront men in meetings”. Instead, speak to them in private.
- Sit across men without crossed legs.
- Do not speak to men “face-to-face” as it might “threaten them”.
These briefly described points are some of the many regressive instructions mentioned for women.
According to the HuffPost report, the employees were given a “Masculine/Feminine Score Sheet” and were asked to rate their adherence to stereotypical masculine and feminine characteristics both on the job and outside the office. While the masculine traits included points like “Acts as a Leader”, “Strong Personality”, “Willing to take a stand”, “Analytical”, etc. the feminine traits included “Affectionate”, “Childlike”, “Loves Children”, “Cheerful”, “Affectionate”, etc.
Another aspect of the seminar which has sparked massive outrage online was how it reportedly focused on the information of how a woman’s brain is 6-11% smaller than a man’s brain. This is what was said:
“Women’s brains absorb information like pancakes soak up syrup so it’s hard for them to focus. Men’s brains are more like waffles. They’re better able to focus because the information collects in each little waffle square.”
Women and men alike have been outraged at the seminar, which allegedly took place on June 2018 – a time when #MeToo was creating waves online.
EY has some work to do. Enforcing stereotypes has absolutely nothing to do with training women leaders. NOTHING. https://t.co/8E2woBNcxZ
— Meghan Gaffney (@meghangaffney) October 22, 2019
EY told women how to act and dress and told them they shouldn’t talk to men, but made the Fortune list of best large workplaces for women? 🤔🤔🤔
https://t.co/cwercyfwt5— krissy trujillo (@katullys) October 22, 2019
This is not a great look for @EY_US . Folks, we'd like to welcome you to 2019 where these "trainings" are 100% hogwash (and sexist) https://t.co/oBr2Ukh5ZV
— Ayush (but…where are your really from?) Pokharel (@Ayushpokh) October 22, 2019
This is so gross! At the height of the #metoo movement, this was Ernst and Young’s move?https://t.co/SejAtjOLoM
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 22, 2019
This infuriates me not just as a man who supports feminism but as a man who's sick of patriarchal bullshit. I love children. I'm eager to soothe hurt feelings. I'm compassionate and sensitive. That doesn't make me a woman. It makes me a decent human being. https://t.co/EI6wAl5EID
— Jeff Guhin (@jeffguhin) October 22, 2019
Before they got to the seminar, women had to rank themselves on this masculine/feminine scoresheet. Feminine traits include "gullible" "childlike" "shy" Masculine include "ambitious" and "acts like a leader" https://t.co/FlFvdpzzxx pic.twitter.com/f9zQfrPoiv
— Emily Peck (@EmilyRPeck) October 21, 2019
Women at Ernst and Young receive a specialized training that includes a 55 page presentation complete with tips on how women need to "fix themselves" to fit into a male-dominated workplace.
You have to read this to believe it, it's totally nuts. https://t.co/PE6hz34lga
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) October 21, 2019
After facing backlash, Ernst & Young clarified how they don’t use this version of the presentations for seminars anymore and that the “training was hosted by an external vendor”, reported Business Insider.
It is shocking how one of the big names in the corporate world are imposing regressive stereotypes on women and basically suggesting them ways on how to please the men around them. This is absolutely unacceptable!