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Women as decoration?

Amber Thomas
Yesterday, I attended a construction industry trade show in London. 


As I walked into the exhibition, there were men and women in purple baggy t-shirts handing out the exhibition bags. Next to these people, were three very young women, dressed in low cut, very short, pink gingham "beer wench" style costumes, with lacy trim on the thigh, sky high heels, and blonde hair in pigtails. The gingham ladies were not handing out bags, they were just standing there, smiling at people as they entered. "That's strange - what stall are they on, and what do those outfits have to do with construction?", I hear you ask... 


There was an Oktoberfest themed networking event towards the end of the exhibition, which is why they were dressed like this… Or was it? Once the Oktoberfest started, the ladies moved from greeting people at the entrance to standing in the Oktoberfest area (literally just standing there. Each standing separately from one another. Standing and grinning). These ladies were not part of the Oktoberfest’s bar staff (bar staff, male and female, were all wearing long sleeved red checked lumberjack style shirts), they were not collecting glasses, they hadn't been handing out exhibition bags. It seems their only function all day was decorative.

This seems completely out of whack with all the initiatives to encourage women and girls into STEM careers! Come on, Construction Industry! Get it together! Why are women still being used as eye candy for engineering events? Where were the men in barely there lederhosen? Where were the women in high-vis safety overalls, steel toe-capped boots and other PPE suitable for construction sites?


And gingham? I've been to events where women have walked around in inappropriate bikinis, but there struck me as something even creepier about the use of gingham (or is that just me?) Although not ideal, bikini at least says "adult", whereas in my mind, gingham is mostly used for school uniforms for children. There is something a bit creepy about a school-uniform-esque-sexy-bar-maid costume, given that probably 90% of the attendees were men aged 55+ and these girls didn’t look older than 19 or 20, tops!


Has anyone else been to events and seen young female models used as props for engineering firms? (Or witnessed scantily clad hunky men being used as decoration at STEM events?) Please share your experiences here.


And one request...These events usually have a feedback survey sent out after the event. If you go to an event that uses women as props, please consider using the feedback questionnaire to voice concern, remind them what year we are living in and ask the organisers to re-consider their choices for the next event.
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    The organisers obviously think “here is our budget; we’ll spend this much on bar staff, this much on signs & bunting, this much on tables, chairs, tablecloths etc. and this much on young women to wear low cut outfits and smile at people”. If organisers have money to spare on these things, wouldn’t it be better to put the surplus into STEM activities for young people or some other charitable cause?


    And who is making this decision? Whilst I’m sure that there are some men that no doubt enjoy the addition of young women smiling at them, would any of them really notice or care if these particular women weren’t there? Would they think “What a dreadful conference! Not one scantily clad babe walking around! That’s the last time I’m ever going to THAT event!” Perhaps having these women there in this capacity is as much a disservice to men as it is to women?


    Grazyna - I feel for you - 50 years of putting up with this! And when voicing the opinion that this isn't appropriate, why is the conversation always turned around to make it YOUR problem? "Oh, she's jealous", rather than "Oh, yeah - good point - what ARE these models doing here?" And unless you want a career as a model, rather than an engineer, what have you to be jealous of?! Not all men rate themselves on how attractive they are, so why do they assume that we women do? Age and beauty are obviously factors for those selecting models for these jobs, but why-oh-why does a construction event need models?! You don't get engineers strutting up and down a catwalk, so why have models gadding about at a construction show?


    Antonia – Yes, choice is important, but I feel that the addition of these women in these outfits in this capacity restricts the choices of women attending in a professional capacity to wear what they want. If women are visibly employed for the sole purpose of wearing short skirts and being ogled by men, then if a woman attends who just happens to be wearing a short skirt, some men might assume that she also wants to be ogled too. If men essentially have permission to ogle some women then, as Grace points out, it then makes it harder for the other women there to be taken seriously and treated with respect and professionalism. The woman may feel more inclined to restrict her future wardrobe choices for fear of being treated a certain way or because she doesn’t want the hassle or lecherous looks from her peers.


    Sarah – Those poor women! Making women dress in skimpy outfits at an outdoor event is just unkind! If you are advising the attendees to wear jackets and boots, WHY would you make anyone stand there freezing their bits off?! (or subject to the sunburn that goes along with not wearing very much at an outdoor event!)


    When will women be more visible at STEM events as speakers in the programme or exhibitors on the stands, rather than as teenagers in twee costumes that have nothing to do with engineering?


    Thanks to all for your responses so far smiley
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    The organisers obviously think “here is our budget; we’ll spend this much on bar staff, this much on signs & bunting, this much on tables, chairs, tablecloths etc. and this much on young women to wear low cut outfits and smile at people”. If organisers have money to spare on these things, wouldn’t it be better to put the surplus into STEM activities for young people or some other charitable cause?


    And who is making this decision? Whilst I’m sure that there are some men that no doubt enjoy the addition of young women smiling at them, would any of them really notice or care if these particular women weren’t there? Would they think “What a dreadful conference! Not one scantily clad babe walking around! That’s the last time I’m ever going to THAT event!” Perhaps having these women there in this capacity is as much a disservice to men as it is to women?


    Grazyna - I feel for you - 50 years of putting up with this! And when voicing the opinion that this isn't appropriate, why is the conversation always turned around to make it YOUR problem? "Oh, she's jealous", rather than "Oh, yeah - good point - what ARE these models doing here?" And unless you want a career as a model, rather than an engineer, what have you to be jealous of?! Not all men rate themselves on how attractive they are, so why do they assume that we women do? Age and beauty are obviously factors for those selecting models for these jobs, but why-oh-why does a construction event need models?! You don't get engineers strutting up and down a catwalk, so why have models gadding about at a construction show?


    Antonia – Yes, choice is important, but I feel that the addition of these women in these outfits in this capacity restricts the choices of women attending in a professional capacity to wear what they want. If women are visibly employed for the sole purpose of wearing short skirts and being ogled by men, then if a woman attends who just happens to be wearing a short skirt, some men might assume that she also wants to be ogled too. If men essentially have permission to ogle some women then, as Grace points out, it then makes it harder for the other women there to be taken seriously and treated with respect and professionalism. The woman may feel more inclined to restrict her future wardrobe choices for fear of being treated a certain way or because she doesn’t want the hassle or lecherous looks from her peers.


    Sarah – Those poor women! Making women dress in skimpy outfits at an outdoor event is just unkind! If you are advising the attendees to wear jackets and boots, WHY would you make anyone stand there freezing their bits off?! (or subject to the sunburn that goes along with not wearing very much at an outdoor event!)


    When will women be more visible at STEM events as speakers in the programme or exhibitors on the stands, rather than as teenagers in twee costumes that have nothing to do with engineering?


    Thanks to all for your responses so far smiley
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