"Your gender helps" comment

[Biscuitsandpizza]

I recently interviewed for an internal move within my company, but during a call where some issues around my start date were discussed, the hiring manager made a comment of "no, but your gender certainly helps", when I asked if my office location would be a problem.

I can't work out how I feel about it, but it does somewhat take away from being hired on merit alone. AIBU?

Anyone?

Can’t begin to even imagine what that means

The big-mouthed hiring manager implied she’s offered the role because she’s a woman.

Um, as in, your gender (female, and yes, I know he should have said sex, not gender, but I'm quoting) has helped you get this role?

assuming you're a woman I'd take it to mean that whoever is in charge of hiring there has a shit record at fair hiring, so it's good that there'll be another woman in the department rather than a photofit bloke.

I wouldn't worry about not being hired on merit - quite the opposite it sounds like you've beaten the odds (although how that'll be once you start working there I don't know)

Are there no men's toilets on that floor?

Oh i missed this was the hiring manager. Well in that case I'd guess they have a really unbalanced department and are pleased to be helping make things more balanced. It's an added bonus, it's not why they're hiring you.

I think you may have misunderstood

I wasn't clear, sorry. It was tongue in cheek.

Just accept that they are pleased you are a woman. In the past, people felt comfortable hiring men, for various reasons, 'merit alone' be damned. Now they are pleased they are hiring a woman. Accept it.

It sounds as if they have too many men in the team and want to balance things out. I work in recruitment and it's not unusual for a client to stipulate that female candidates would be preferred, but it doesn't mean they will compromise on ability.
Well done OP, I'm sure they wouldn't have offered you the role if you weren't the right person for it. They are just happy that they have managed to tick a diversity box at the same time.
Good luck with your new role.
Probably no need for the hiring Manger to put it like that though !

@Lakeyloo thank you! I do have a tendency to overthink things, but wasn't bothered initially...then thought about it more and worried that I was potentially ignoring a warning sign!