Andy - can I carry that thought a bit further in defence of my fellow corporate managers...They're not all bad folk...
I think this goes full circle back to what society is accepting of... corporate managers have to be cognizant of who their managers will be interfacing with and the presentation of the individuals is one aspect. Rightly or wrongly, OTHER folk (clients, suppliers, partners, shareholders, employees etc.) are influenced by the nature of your organisation's presentation (viz: IBM 30+ years back and the white shirt, dark blue suit and tie uniform) and who you select for a role has to fit in... You may have a very liberal-minded individual in a selection role, but if they make the best choice of individual they will in all likelihood choose the one that fits with the image they expect the other stakeholders to accept... I've had to face this in a slightly more extreme way deciding who to send on support assignments to the Middle East - your best staff member may be female, but you don't send them on assignment to Saudi...
If broader society were more accepting, it would obviously be easier to be different... How great would it be in a world where you MM, could work in a skirt all the time, and I could decide some days blue suit and male; other days black skirt and female presentation... but oh, how that would royally mess with the muggles' minds...
That doesn't excuse other girls not being more hospitable... but society is what it is, conditioning and all...
Katey x
