I just received an invite from the women's initiative of the Atlanta office of a Biglaw firm for an upcoming event. The guest is a FLORIST and they are going to be showing attendees (who would be primarily female attorneys!) how to make FLORAL ARRANGEMENTA. Not a judge. Not a businesswoman. Not a motivational speaker. A FLORIST. I am absolutely horrified. This has to be one of the most sexist things I have ever seen. How could they think this was a good idea?

Under his eye, I suppose.

Honestly, I think this sounds like a fun idea for a women’s networking event. Not everything has to be professional and serious all the time. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So, I hear you.

But, I like flowers and have taken floral arrangement classes with friends, mostly women. Flowers are feminine, flower arranging is feminine. Why can’t flower arranging be strong and professional and also feminine? Golf is just hitting a little ball around a garden with a shiny wand, but we don’t question golf tournaments as professional hotspots. How is this different?

I worry that we hasten to judge an event like this because men have told us flowers are feminine and frivolous, because women are feminine and frivolous. But, we don’t have to accept that.

We can reclaim and rebrand these things that men dismiss. Feminine things can be powerful and strong and cool and good for business. If there are powerful, professional women who like flowers and want to arrange flowers together, let it be a powerhouse event. If it’s not for you, ignore it. But let’s not continue the thinly veiled misogyny of dismissing feminine things for no reason other than that they’re feminine.

Especially because I’d way rather do this than a golf tournament.

Omg please name the firm. This is hilariously fucked up. JFC.

What. This sounds like fun? Our women's intiative does a bunch of CLE and webinars with judges and authors and stuff. But also some fun events like going to a candle making class. Don't see the problem with this.

Oh I forgot - they also used the word FELLOWSHIP in the invite. If you know then you know.

*ARRANGEMENTS ... I was so flustered I made a typo

At that point, should have just brought the whole “home economics” spread - including some sewing and cooking too! 😂 If there is an event evaluation at the end be sure to suggest better activities for next year!

OP I completely get your point - I am not sure if everyone commenting the opposite are seeing something that I'm not or conflating two separate issues (I guess we have a lot of issues). If this is supposed to be a networking or a team building activity, it is great. If it's a leadership thing, I don't see how. I get that flowers are considered feminine (I question that they actually ARE feminine) but that doesn't mean that all or most women will be interested in learning floral arrangements or find it useful, especially in the name of leadership activities. How exactly does this relate to leadership? At the end of the day, it may be fine but I don't think you're wrong to question the value it may or may not bring. On the other hand, a majority of golf players in the world are men.. when they invite clients out to play golf, they're doing a lot of BD and socializing. I am not sure we have a singular activity that can achieve both for us women unfortunately.

I love flowers. I’ll take your spot. Also plenty of amazing male florists out there..0

It’s so interesting. Takes like these make me pause when I consider suggesting something like manicures to a client for business development. But as a woman, I would take that over golfing for example. I’m sure men never worry whether inviting other men to a football game would be tone deaf.

A great example of “no good deed goes unpunished.” If you don’t like flower arranging, don’t go. This militant “anything that women may like to do more than men” is verboten mentality must go.

Just don’t go. Your responses to anyone who doesn’t think this is egregious demonstrates that you want a reason to be offended. What is wrong with acknowledging that men and women are different in some ways? Neither is better, but there’s nothing offensive about being different. Sheesh.

I mean, it’s kinda the same thing when the women’s initiative has wine tastings or gives Stanley cups as gifts. It’s things that women traditionally like. But I do understand the slight ick factor.

My friend’s firm does pedicures and massages for their women’s group.

I agree with you. I have zero interest in floral arrangements but if I did, it’s not what I’d be looking for from my firm’s women’s initiative. I think a good mix could be a very short activity like a tasting that then leads to a roundtable or panel about something professionally relevant.

I’ve done a similar event. It was fun and relaxing.

Better than getting wasted I suppose.

How is it sexist?

Are there actually people offended by this?

If I can