--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I was editing this chapter, a survey…" description: "\"“As I was editing this chapter, a survey of more than thirty-five hundred Australian surgeons revealed a culture rife with bullying, discrimination, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/cordelia-fine-22225_equal-opportunity_as-i-was-editing-this-chapter-a-survey-o_2868832.jpg" --- # As I was editing this chapter, a survey of more than… ![“As I was editing this chapter, a survey of more than thirty-five hundred Australian surgeons revealed a culture rife with bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment, against women especially (although men weren’t untouched either). To give you a flavor of professional life as a woman in this…” quote by Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/cordelia-fine-22225_equal-opportunity_as-i-was-editing-this-chapter-a-survey-o_2868832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/cordelia-fine-22225_equal-opportunity_as-i-was-editing-this-chapter-a-survey-o_2868832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/cordelia-fine-22225_equal-opportunity_as-i-was-editing-this-chapter-a-survey-o_2868832.jpg) > ““As I was editing this chapter, a survey of more than thirty-five hundred Australian surgeons revealed a culture rife with bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment, against women especially (although men weren’t untouched either). To give you a flavor of professional life as a woman in this field, female trainees and junior surgeons “reported feeling obliged to give their supervisors sexual favours to keep their jobs”; endured flagrantly illegal hostility toward the notion of combining career with motherhood; contended with “boys’ clubs”; and experienced entrenched sexism at all levels and “a culture of fear and reprisal, with known bullies in senior positions seen as untouchable.”68 I came back to this chapter on the very day that news broke in the state of Victoria, Australia, where I live, of a Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission report revealing that sexual discrimination and harassment is also shockingly prevalent in the Victorian Police, which unlawfully failed to provide an equal and safe working environment.69 I understand that attempts to identify the psychological factors that underlie sex inequalities in the workplace are well-meaning. And, of course, we shouldn’t shy away from naming (supposedly) politically unpalatable causes of those inequalities. But when you consider the women who enter and persist in highly competitive and risky occupations like surgery and policing—despite the odds stacked against them by largely unfettered sex discrimination and harassment—casual scholarly suggestions that women are relatively few in number, particularly in the higher echelons, because they’re less geared to compete in the workplace, start to seem almost offensive. Testosterone”” [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights pervasive bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment against women in surgery and policing, exposing systemic sexism and hostile cultures that impede gender equality. **In simple terms:** Women face systemic bullying and harassment in male‑dominated fields. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge institutional sexism. Themes gender inequality workplace culture bullying harassment women's rights Mood angry determined hopeful Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - medical training - police forces - career advancement - work‑life balance - policy reform Key Concepts sexism power dynamics institutional bias Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions create safe environments for all genders? - What policies effectively reduce workplace harassment? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize and not account for progress or individual positive experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Equal opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-opportunity/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Professional life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-life/) [Sex discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-discrimination/) [Working Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-environment/) ## Related quotes > [You shouldn't face discrimination because of your sexual orientation. That should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gjelten/you-shouldn-t-face-discrimination-because-of-your-sexual-orientation/) [Tom Gjelten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gjelten/) > [“You're sexist. I'm so sick of liberal lefty men practicing sexual discrimination under the guise of protecting women against sexual discrimination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/you-re-sexist-i-m-so-sick-of-liberal-lefty-men-practicing-sexual/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Within the stable economy it's necessary to eliminate all forms of sexual discrimination, and to provide women for the first time in our history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/within-the-stable-economy-it-s-necessary-to-eliminate-all-forms-of/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Hollywood is the definition of sexual discrimination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-sheedy/hollywood-is-the-definition-of-sexual-discrimination/) [Ally Sheedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-sheedy/) > [“The prevailing discriminatory practices during the sixties, whose targets were working people, women, and people of color, were atrocious. Thus, an enforceable race-based --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-prevailing-discriminatory-practices-during-the-sixties-whose/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > ["I'm a victim of sexual discrimination." "No, you're the victim of a cruel sexual experiment performed by your mother and father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enfield/i-m-a-victim-of-sexual-discrimination-no-you-re-the-victim-of-a-cruel/) [Harry Enfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enfield/) > [I can't point to any major episodes of sexual discrimination in my early life. But I was so aware of the crime, the shame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/i-can-t-point-to-any-major-episodes-of-sexual-discrimination-in-my/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [“An anarchist society is by definition a Free Society, but a Free Society is not necessarily Anarchist. It might fall short in several respects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-meltzer/an-anarchist-society-is-by-definition-a-free-society-but-a-free/) [Albert Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-meltzer/) > [Employers are not prohibited from practicing sex discrimination in hiring and promoting employees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/employers-are-not-prohibited-from-practicing-sex-discrimination-in/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [From the Equal Pay Act to the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equality Act through to the minimum wage and Sure Start, the Labour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-reeves/from-the-equal-pay-act-to-the-sex-discrimination-act-and-the-equality/) [Rachel Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-reeves/) > [South Korea is one of the worst countries when it comes to opportunity for women in social activities and employment. To my disgust, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-hyesoon/south-korea-is-one-of-the-worst-countries-when-it-comes-to/) [Kim Hyesoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-hyesoon/) > [“In spite of lip service paid to domestic duties, in 1881 the Census excluded women’s household chores from the category of productive work and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/in-spite-of-lip-service-paid-to-domestic-duties-in-1881-the-census/) [Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/) > [“Thanks in part to the commission, Kennedy issued an executive order ending sex discrimination in the federal civil service. In 1963 he signed an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/thanks-in-part-to-the-commission-kennedy-issued-an-executive-order/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“Leave it to a girl to take all the fun out of sex discrimination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/leave-it-to-a-girl-to-take-all-the-fun-out-of-sex-discrimination/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Equal pay for equal work continues to be seen as applying to equal pay for men and women in the same occupation, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-s-rossi/equal-pay-for-equal-work-continues-to-be-seen-as-applying-to-equal/) [Alice S Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-s-rossi/) ## More by Cordelia Fine > [“Some day, I must ask him what it's like to be married to someone who, eyes narrowed in thought, peers at him over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/some-day-i-must-ask-him-what-it-s-like-to-be-married-to-someone-who/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [A member of my family, who shall remain nameless, refers to all newborns as ‘blobs’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/a-member-of-my-family-who-shall-remain-nameless-refers-to-all/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [Although self-reported endorsement of sexist attitudes didn’t predict hiring bias, self-reported objectivity in decision making did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/although-self-reported-endorsement-of-sexist-attitudes-didn-t-predict/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“While parenthood served as no disadvantage at all to men, there was evidence of a substantial "motherhood penalty". Mothers received only half as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/while-parenthood-served-as-no-disadvantage-at-all-to-men-there-was/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“As it happens, there’s a way of presenting data, called the funnel plot, that indicates whether or not the scientific literature is biased in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/as-it-happens-there-s-a-way-of-presenting-data-called-the-funnel-plot/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [Both women and computer science are the losers when a geeky stereotype serves as an unnecessary gatekeeper to the profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/both-women-and-computer-science-are-the-losers-when-a-geeky/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“As Harvard University psychologist Mahzarin Banaji puts it, there is no “bright line separating self from culture,” and the culture in which we develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/as-harvard-university-psychologist-mahzarin-banaji-puts-it-there-is/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“My husband would probably like you to know that, for the sake of my research for this chapter, he has had to put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/my-husband-would-probably-like-you-to-know-that-for-the-sake-of-my/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“University of Otago social historian Hera Cook provides a beautiful illustration of exactly this point in her rich account of the sexual revolution.49 Cook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/university-of-otago-social-historian-hera-cook-provides-a-beautiful/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“Here’s another example that some overworked mothers might find inspiring. We saw in Chapter 2 that being the one who produces the sperm doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/here-s-another-example-that-some-overworked-mothers-might-find/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“In other words, both the descriptive (‘women are gentle’) and the prescriptive (‘women should be gentle’) elements of gender stereotypes create a problem for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/in-other-words-both-the-descriptive-women-are-gentle-and-the/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“Our minds, society and neurosexism create difference. Together, they wire gender. But the wiring is soft, not hard. It is flexible, malleable and changeable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/our-minds-society-and-neurosexism-create-difference-together-they/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“The tape measures and weighing scales of the Victorian brain scientists have been supplanted by powerful neuroimaging technologies, but there is still a lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/the-tape-measures-and-weighing-scales-of-the-victorian-brain/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“When women display the necessary confidence in their skills and comfort with power, they run the risk of being regarded as ‘competent but cold’:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/when-women-display-the-necessary-confidence-in-their-skills-and/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“With a particular person in mind, or in anticipation of interacting with them, self-conception adjusts to create a shared reality. This means that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/with-a-particular-person-in-mind-or-in-anticipation-of-interacting/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) [Explore all 28 Cordelia Fine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) ## More Equal opportunity quotes > [When you look at what I've done here, you see a consistent theme of reforms which is not driven by any dogma from across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hain/when-you-look-at-what-i-ve-done-here-you-see-a-consistent-theme-of/) [Peter Hain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hain/) > [Provided that societies stay mindful of the challenges that capitalism creates and never forget the paramount importance of inclusion and equal opportunity, we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/provided-that-societies-stay-mindful-of-the-challenges-that/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to homeso close and so small that they cannot be seen on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/where-after-all-do-universal-human-rights-begin-in-small-places-close/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [In a patriarchal society like ours, women have to fight hard for a seat at the table. Boys are privileged over girls from birth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/in-a-patriarchal-society-like-ours-women-have-to-fight-hard-for-a/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [There's a lot of lies out there that we should catch and that have taken me a lot of time to sort of see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/there-s-a-lot-of-lies-out-there-that-we-should-catch-and-that-have/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) > [I think that we value fairness in this country. We value equal opportunity. Without a stable home, those ideals really fall apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-that-we-value-fairness-in-this-country-we-value-equal/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Nowadays with the internet, it's an equal opportunity brutal playing field. I mean, everyone is brutal to everybody half the time. People can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-thompson/nowadays-with-the-internet-it-s-an-equal-opportunity-brutal-playing/) [Lea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-thompson/) > [While our country has made great strides in breaking down the barriers which for so long denied equal opportunity to all Americans, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/while-our-country-has-made-great-strides-in-breaking-down-the/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) > [To force a female to do things in male fashion is not equal opportunity, it is distorted idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-force-a-female-to-do-things-in-male-fashion-is-not-equal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True diversity is created by equal opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/true-diversity-is-created-by-equal-opportunity/) [Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/) > [I am proud of my country. But we need to unite to make a unified India, free of communalism and casteism. We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratan-tata/i-am-proud-of-my-country-but-we-need-to-unite-to-make-a-unified-india/) [Ratan Tata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ratan-tata/) > [During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/during-my-lifetime-i-have-dedicated-myself-to-this-struggle-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There are positively no mental, physical or moral attainments too lofty for the Negro to accomplish if granted a fair and equal opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/major-taylor/there-are-positively-no-mental-physical-or-moral-attainments-too/) [Major Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/major-taylor/) > [“While significant strides have been made in the pursuit of life expectancy, healthcare, educational opportunities, and constitutional protections for women, the Supreme Court, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-wilkins/while-significant-strides-have-been-made-in-the-pursuit-of-life/) David E. Wilkins > [“Boyd let out a short, amused sound. "It helps. Now I know I'm an equal opportunity gay lover," he said lightly. "The sky's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ais/boyd-let-out-a-short-amused-sound-it-helps-now-i-know-i-m-an-equal/) [Ais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ais/) [Browse all 287 Equal opportunity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-opportunity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As I was editing this chapter, a survey of more than thirty-five hundred Australian surgeons revealed a culture rife with bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment, against women especially (although men weren’t untouched either). To give you a flavor of professional life as a woman in this field, female trainees and junior surgeons “reported feeling obliged to give their supervisors sexual favours to keep their jobs”; endured flagrantly illegal hostility toward the notion of combining career with motherhood; contended with “boys’ clubs”; and experienced entrenched sexism at all levels and “a culture of fear and reprisal, with known bullies in senior positions seen as untouchable.”68 I came back to this chapter on the very day that news broke in the state of Victoria, Australia, where I live, of a Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission report revealing that sexual discrimination and harassment is also shockingly prevalent in the Victorian Police, which unlawfully failed to provide an equal and safe working environment.69 I understand that attempts to identify the psychological factors that underlie sex inequalities in the workplace are well-meaning. And, of course, we shouldn’t shy away from naming (supposedly) politically unpalatable causes of those inequalities. But when you consider the women who enter and persist in highly competitive and risky occupations like surgery and policing—despite the odds stacked against them by largely unfettered sex discrimination and harassment—casual scholarly suggestions that women are relatively few in number, particularly in the higher echelons, because they’re less geared to compete in the workplace, start to seem almost offensive. 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