This is about “women” and disingenuous discrimination in the workplace
Posted by Michelle Moquin on 9th May 2011
Good morning!
Mika Brzezinski: I Almost Left ‘Morning Joe’ Over Pay Disparity (VIDEO)
Mika Brzezinski revealed on Thursday’s “Morning Joe” that she almost left the show in 2008 because she was being paid so much less than her male colleagues.
Brzezinski recounts her fight about her pay disparity in her new book, “Knowing Your Value.” She told her fellow panelists–including Nora Ephron and Norah O’Donnell, who are featured in the book–what happened.
“I had found out that I was the lowest paid at the table and sometimes by far,” she said. “I didn’t think I should be making more than any of you guys…but these [disparities] were vast.” (How vast?In another interview, Brzezinski said she was making fourteen times less than co-host Joe Scarborough.) She said that she came to the conclusion that she was “at the bottom of the barrel inside because of the deal I had cut for myself.”
Willie Geist asked her why she didn’t walk away. “We fixed it,” Brzezinski said.
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Readers: Mika’s response of saying that she didn’t negotiate well or that she didn’t know her value is the same as saying, “I wore my skirt too short…”
Her book is typical of her performance on the show: She always acquiesces to Joe. She pretends that the “man” didn’t know what he was doing to her, when he knew. How could he not? Look, it’s Joe’s show right? The real culprit here is this guy, “Joe”. He knew how much everyone was being offered. He knew what everybody’s salary was, including how little they were offering Mika.
Once again, it’s men being sneaky and getting over on the women again. It’s men saying, “Fuck the women; it’s all about us men.” Need I say what color I’m talking about here? So yeah, They didn’t have any problems giving “Joe” 14 times more money than her.(!) And they certainly weren’t going to say anything when they offered her a measly sum to co-host with Joe. They were probably thinking, “Great we’re getting her way cheap. Don’t say anything.”
Mika: Name the man who was responsible!
But no. Instead of blaming it on “Joe” the culprit, and “MSNBC”, she goes and blames herself for not “negotiating” a good deal because she didn’t “know her value”. The “Morning Joe Show” had just begun. It was a new show. How could she know what to negotiate? How could she know her value? Do men know? It’s not like men know some little secret about their value that women don’t. I don’t think so.
And I don’t buy that none of her colleagues were privy to the fact that they were making so much more money than she was. Look, we all know when it comes to money, men talk. I’m sure they spoke about their salaries amongst themselves, They knew exactly how much each of them was making and they knew exactly how much Mika was making – a lot less.
But did anyone bother to tell Mika what they were making? Did anyone bother to tell her that she was basically getting ripped off? Where was the team support? There was none. Mika, like many women don’t realize that she may be working with a team, that there may be common goals that they share, but that women in most work situations are not considered part of the team. So no, she wasn’t informed…she wasn’t “in the know” that she was making so much less. Everyone else knew – The only person left in the dark was Mika. It was the mens’ sneaky little secret.
This was just a typical conspiracy against women. When will women wake up and see this?
Mika: How about instead of blaming yourself, look at the situation, and assess it logically. “Hmm…I’m a woman and I just found out my male colleagues are getting paid way more than me. I’m a woman doing the same same job as a man and I’m getting paid less, much less than Joe and even much less than my male colleagues. I think this was a deliberate conspiracy to pay me less.”
But, no. Typical stupid woman – she blames herself. Here she had an opportunity to expose these men that cheated her out of the same same salary that they were getting. And she blames herself for not negotiating a better deal, and knowing her worth.
And then she writes this silly book. Just what is she saying through her book to all of those women out there in the workplace? Basically she’s saying., “This is a woman’s issue. It’s the woman’s fault.” She doesn’t have to say it but her meaning says everything: “It doesn’t have anything to do with men.”
Bull shit. It isn’t a woman’s issue of fault, or not knowing her value – This is men doing to women what they have been doing to women for years and years: conspiring against women and getting paid much more money for doing the same same job.
Think about this…if they were paying her that much less than Joe, and her male colleagues, just how much less do you think her female colleagues were getting?
No, it’s not about you girl – it’s about women. And you didn’t stand up for yourself and women. Like I said, this book is silly – it tells women nothing. Read it only if you want to be a victim and feel good about. Otherwise, don’t bother.
Mika is just a typical example of a stupid woman, not seeing her experience for what it really is: devious, disingenuous discrimination in the workplace…and instead blames herself.
Thoughts? Rants? Comments? Blog me.
Social Butterfly: I love seeing your moniker when I’m reading all the comments. Thanks for the mom’s day wishes – yes I am a mother to my beloved Lucy. :) It sounds like you have a lovely relationship with your mom too. Cool for you.
I had a fabulous time yesterday with my mother. First we visited my Grandmother. It was wonderful because she was in her bedroom, which is rare in the home she lives in so I got to have a private conversation with her – something that rarely happens. I cherished the moment and felt so lucky to see the sparkle in her eyes still. I miss the talks that we used to have.
Then my mother, her brother and his lady love (Doug stayed home with a cold :(), and I, went to the Ferry Building in SF and celebrated at Market Bar. It was so beautiful in San Francisco.
Oh, and your article was just sick. Thanks for posting. I signed too.
Erica: Thank you. And yes, no surprise there.
Lex: :)
AH: I just wanted to say “Hello”.
Zen Lill: It sounds like you had a great day with Lilly.
DOB: It’s been a long time since I have felt the exciting rumble of a bike between these thighs. :) It’s tempting…
Got to run… Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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Posted in Human Rights and Equality | 34 Comments »



