last day (19 days later) » 

13:36
23
Q: What's the least distracting method to inform editors I'm a woman?

Morgan MeredithI have a gender-neutral name, so people often assume I'm a man. However, a portion of the writing I do is for tech companies. Because of the lack of diversity in the tech industry, many of these companies are looking to add diversity to their contributor pools, so they place priority on people o...

So far, I have added to my signature my logo, which says "Hi, I'm Morgan Meredith" in purple lettering. Does that seem helpful?
This comment is not exactly an answer, but a suggestion: if you don't like "Ms." perhaps you can become a member of an all woman advocacy group or all woman contest, "Women In Tech" or "Women Writers Of America" or you participated in the "Women SciFi Challenge". (I made all those up). Find a way to list them on your credentials or past work. (I didn't do any research, so I didn't make this an answer, but it is an idea to pursue.) Alternatively, in a previous job, perhaps you were the first woman to occupy the position and could mention that.
I agree with @Amadeus. And there are many real women's groups around. Another suggestion: perhaps you have a middle name that is less gender-neutral? I normally sign my name "D. Jay Newman" because of family custom rather than a need to assert gender
Amadeus I love this suggestion; thank you so much! Maybe I'll even start one of the ones you made up ;) @NomadMaker It's funny, I used to actually add another initial (Morgan is my middle name, so I went by J. Morgan Meredith) and a professor in grad school actually gave me a hard time for making my name sound more masculine by doing so. She thought I was trying to get into more shows etc. by sounding like a man. Can't win!!
user219080
Given that your first name is a common surname and your surname is a common female name, I'd be tempted to write Meredith, Morgan. That will create the initial impression that you are a woman, even if they do notice the comma, and first impressions stick.
13:36
@MarkBaker well, as you noted, both can be first names... so people often call me Meredith anyway. It would probably create extra confusion and even more instances where I'd have to correct people (which can be awkward when speaking with a new editor or client). It's a good thought though! I'll consider that one.
Maybe I'll even start one of the ones you made up, Feel free. Then your credential is "President and Founding Member," :-)
user219080
You could use correcting people as an icebreaker -- a bit of a laugh to start off the interview process. :-)
If I were you I would only focus on writing good content so you get featured because of what you do rather than who you are.
6
@JonasBezzubovas Not really the place for this discussion, but there can be good reasons to boost the visibility of diversity. One of the more notable is that it is encouraging for people within a particular demographic who might have otherwise joined/applied/submitted but went elsewhere because they feared implicit bias against them.
If Morgan is your middle name, what's the J stand for? And is it any more "feminine" than Morgan? (Anecdotally, Morgan always feels feminine to me - every single Morgan I met growing up was female)
@called2voyage - I understand your point, I just find delicious irony in attempting to reduce implicit bias by implicitly being biased
13:36
Many email clients have profile photos (Gmail, Outlook) Have you added a picture to all those?
I'm discouraged but not surprised at how every single comment and answer treats blatant sex and racial discrimination by these companies as good. Morgan, I don't blame you at all for taking advantage of the situation. But I am saddened that the ideal of treating people equally regardless of group membership has been generally discarded. Can you imagine the reaction if you had said, "Many companies place priority on white, male, straight writers, so I want to disguise the fact that I'm a woman"? Are racism, sexism, and the like really only bad if directed at groups other than our own?
6
@MarkMeuer - what are you on about? How do any of the comments or answers treat discrimination as good?
If editors are ranking diversity above competence, it's not enough to be female - a male claiming LGBTQ status may compete. Are there any other minorities you can claim to be part of, to boost your diversity ranking? For example, are you left-handed? See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_against_left-handed_people
@MarkMeuer This question is not about discrimination, nor is it about taking advantage of anything. The tech industry is looking to diversify, and rightly so. It's proven that opinions and influences from different cultures, sexes, and so on greatly contribute to a company's efficacy and its bottom line. Regardless, I asked a very specific question, and whether or not you agree with my motivation for doing so, your comment is not an answer or solution by any means, and doesn't belong here.
@AlanCampbell Once again, it's not about diversity above competence. If I had the same portfolio and same competence as a man submitting for the same column, in general in the US I'd be hired less often and paid less. The intent of diversifying the industry is to change that. Yes, a LGBTQ man with the same portfolio may have an equal shot if the company is seeking diversity.
@JonasBezzubovas As I wrote in the original question, my work speaks for itself. I am certainly continuing to develop my portfolio by writing good pieces, and the goal of this question is to continue that development by being published even more often. Regardless, your comment is not an answer to my question, and doesn't belong here.
So... basically the question is "How do I cash in on my minority status without getting caught" ?
8
13:36
@Vatev so... if you don't actually have the desire (or perhaps ability) to read and answer the question, what are you doing here? Your comments are unnecessary and not helpful.
@Thomo Yes, but there is a difference between a bias toward a minority when the minority and majority are otherwise equal and a bias toward a majority, even if the minority is better (which is the implicit default). In the first case, there will still likely be more of the majority just because that is statistically likely.
 
7 hours later…
20:20
I never realized that Morgan was a unisex first name. Is this the case in the UK? I've never heard of a male Morgan in the US, other than a surname.
20:57
@JPhi1618 It is true that in the US in recent history it tends to be more of a feminine name than a masculine one, though it has at times been in the top 300 boy names. behindthename.com/name/morgan-1
21:14
@called2voyage, thanks a lot - that's a cool site.
21:48
@Thomo @Thomo In Morgan's original question she states, "so they place priority on people of color, women, LGBTQ writers, and so on". How is "placing a priority" on people based on race or gender anything other than a euphemism for discriminating against people who are not in the "priority" groups? If an employer said they don't discriminate against people of color, they just "place a priority" on hiring white people, we would justly charge them with racist hiring practices.
3
@MorganMeredith My answer was not a solution, it was a comment on the question and answers given. That's why I made it a comment rather than an answer. And, though you disagree with it, it does belong here.

  last day (19 days later) »