The local news was recently all aflutter with the new San Diego Fire Chief, an eminently qualified individual who I believe has been "in the biz" for like 20 years.
A woman.
Had women come as far as we like to think we have, the news of a female Fire Chief wouldn't cause such a stir. I believe they said she's one of four female Fire Chiefs of "major cities." (They didn't mention any "minor cities," "towns," or the like.)
They also felt the need to mention that she was single. I'm trying to remember if the marital status of the last "new guy" we had - I think it was either Police Chief or County Sherrif - was mentioned, but I can't remember. (I didn't care about their marital status any more than I care about hers. She *is* a whole lot hotter, though. One "open individual's" opinion.
)
Segueing away from real life to television, I'm a big fan of the TNT show "The Closer." They had the usual strife between Kyra Sedgewick's character and her "team," based partly on the fact that she's a woman, partly on the fact that she was brought to LA from the South. They get a lot of play out of a classic: the "dimwitted appearing Southern law enforcement person who ties bad guys into knots." It worked in Mayberry with Andy Griffith and it worked when he was Matlock.
This is all leading up to an ad hoc question for the females: have you noticed a shift in your own equality over your lifetime? In other words, do you find yourself more equal to your opposite gender in both business and personal issues?
Any gentlemen who'd like to jump in with their own opinions are more than welcome. This is an "equal opportunity thread."