To be asked to take minutes?

[Bottlesoflove]

I went to a monthly meeting I had not attended before, I am in a professional role and I work in a team of three, with two other male colleagues (all of the same "rank"). All three of us were there. My boss said the secretary couldn't come so could I take minutes? I had never been to one of these meetings before so not aware of the "format" they usually take, plus I have never taken minutes before, plus I didn't know the names of many of the people in the room... so I said "oh I don't know, not sure I would do a great job, maybe x or y could do it?" (My two other male colleagues - both been in the job slightly longer and would have attended this meeting before). At which point my boss said begrudgingly "don't worry I'll do it" and made me feel bad for making a senior do it. My two male colleagues just sat there.

Am I reading too much into this, or is there a hint of everyday sexism here? I was one of the only females there. It seemed he would rather make a big point of doing it himself than asking another professional male to do it, even though they were junior to him...🤔

Luckily the men I work with don't behave like a bunch of bitter women screaming "sexism" when I asked if someone could help me with a flat tyre on my car in the office carpark.

Of course they wouldn't, because changing tyres isn't low status shitwork that can lead to you being pigeonholed in that role instead of your own actual job. So not 'lucky' as such. More just accurate.

Everyday sexism. You should have used Whoopi's line.

bitter women screaming "sexism"

Nice.

This takes me back to when I was mid 20s attending a large meeting in a college, representing my organisation, just to give guidance points. All other attendees were older men, 40s/50s.

No problems re the minutes, not my responsibility but when the tea trolley arrived....to my pleasant surprise, the college Principal stood up, and started pouring and handing out the tea. Still makes me smile, and I keep it in mind. Not everyone expects women to do certain tasks, so don't guilt yourself into them either.

"Sexism aside it's just not practical for someone who is participating in a meeting to take the minutes!"

As a secretary, I agree, but I'm afraid the custom of having the secretary take the minutes is dying out. They now think it's better to have a smaller number in the meeting and use one of the people already there anyway. It's something I'm sad about because in my role it's the only way to get more involved.

Maybe the other two have done it at past meetings and done such a crap job he asked you? You were fine to decline though!

Absolute sexism.
Cheeky bastard.

What utter nonsense. Someone had to take minutes and you're shouting sexism because you happen to be the only woman in the room. Do you claim sexism every time you're asked to do something or do you save it for just those things you don't want to do?

The minute taker is in an incredibly powerful position in any meeting - you decide what gets minuted and what doesn't. At a board meeting the company secretary isn't some bimbo admin assistant, it's a very senior person.

It's claiming sexism for no reason that holds women back in business, we get labelled as trouble makers and get left out of things for fear that we'll go running off to HR if we don't like what we've been asked to do

Am a doctor ina more or less all female specialty so being the only woman in the room is a rare event for me!

But yes, for a junior doctor in a predominantly male specialty, I'd say that probably was sexism at work. Advice above of never take the minutes or make the tea if you are the only woman is excellent.

However minute taker, or person who signs off the minutes, is a great role otherwise - I have often used this to completely document the record of the meeting and allocation of tasks to my preferences (most people won't remember the meeting that well or read the minutes in time to challenge them) so sometimes it's an opportunity you should grab with both hands.

It's claiming sexism for no reason that holds women back in business

No it's not - it's sexism which holds women back in business, and nothing ever changes unless we complain about it. Or did you think the Dagenham women were just given Equal Pay for being nice?

Taking minutes is a very specialised skill set if its done properly. I work in an industry where minute taking accurately is essential. We have a 50:50 split between men and women in our team. We all have to do the same job.

I do encounter people who think my male workmate is my superior in a meeting where we are working together. It drives him mad, as he acknowledges he's not as good as me at minutes and tells them.

The minute taker is in an incredibly powerful position in any meeting - you decide what gets minuted and what doesn't. At a board meeting the company secretary isn't some bimbo admin assistant, it's a very senior person.

But this wasn't a board meeting, and nobody present was a company secretary, so that has about as much to do with OPs example as it does with her arsehole.

Sounds a bit like everyday sexism to me, and bad planning not to ask in advance.

Elisaveta - I think you're deliberately misunderstanding my point. Board meeting or not, taking minutes is a very important role, it's not punishment handed out to the token female in the room.

Crying "sexism" for being asked to minute a meeting strikes me as crazy and I think the OP is just looking for an excuse to moan and she is being unreasonable

OP another doctor, and also wouldn't have minuted in that situation. I have minuted meetings I frequently attend and have no issues with that, but not a first meeting. Especially not a rota meeting, which is frequently incredibly complex and hard to follow at the best of times!

Everyday sexism is very alive in hospitals I am afraid. I've often led my male juniors on ward rounds, and had long discussions with patients who will then turn to my barely out of university junior and say "do you agree doctor?"!

OP, you're right.

If this wasn't sexism, your senior could have said 'No problem', in reply to your response and asked your colleagues if they fancied the task.

Also, both of your colleagues as you said just sat there. It's odd they didn't offer as they had experience of the meetings and knew attendees. Actually, they would have been a logical choice to ask in the first place.

There's arguably a socio-cultural aspect to women being 'perceived' as either more likely/able to carry out these tasks, even on a subconscious level I expect that's why you were asked. For example, when I think of a person taking 'minutes', I automatically picture a lady in a smart suit, cross legged at a desk. This is due to cultural and societal differences (obviously not an accurate representation of how someone wants to be perceived). But it's sexism, however unintentional.

Elisaveta

YANBU, of course, OP, and as all the sensible people have already said, well done for saying no.

The last flat tyre I had was, honest to god, changed for me by the woman I had the meeting with. She declared the situation a bit of a shitter, took off her jacket, said no worries I used to be in the army, and changed it while I swooned

Mctwat think on with your fucking assumptions

Not sure if anyone mentioned this already... I'm reading a book feminst fight club by Jessica Bennet. Really interesting so far. One of the first points it makes is how sexim has changed from overt bottom pinching and women can't do that job to she'll take the minutes, make the tea, type up xyz. Gives tips on how to deal with these anx othet scenarios. So you imo you were right op! Well done.

Elisaveta - I think you're deliberately misunderstanding my point. Board meeting or not, taking minutes is a very important role, it's not punishment handed out to the token female in the room.

Nah, it's just that your point is shit.

Company secretary is a completely different role from secretary. You simply cannot use a company secretary example to tell someone whose job it isn't that they'd benefit from undertaking basic secretarial work. It's nonsensical and not at all comparable.

And the reality is that minute taking often is handed out to the female in the room, because random cuntowner. It doesn't matter whether you agree with this or not: it happens. It's also true that although minute taking can be an influential role, and I said this myself, it can also prevent the minute taker from participating fully in the meeting. Which I also said. Depends on the people, dynamics etc.

Fundamentally, OP is better placed to assess whether the minute taking would've been helpful or detrimental to her participation and career than some random online. Particularly one who thinks an NHS hospital doctor would actually have to look for something to moan about.

"The minute taker is in an incredibly powerful position in any meeting - you decide what gets minuted and what doesn't."

No, the Chair decides that and approves the final minutes. The minute taker only has some modest influence.

With a sample size of one event and only three people, so far, there is no way of knowing if this is a sexist event or not, but it's a good idea to note the details down and file the timeline away somewhere if a pattern emerges in the future and you need it for mediation or a tribunal. I'd give your boss the benefit of the doubt on this occasion and hope for no more sexist-ish incidents.

i just tape minutes then send the tape out

User 148 the op was there to participate