by mae stephenson
So, I've made a disturbing observation over the past few weeks. Several women I respect and consider to be strong, smart women have mentioned playing "the dumb girl" to get things done. I admit, I've even mentioned it myself. From getting the proper tools to put furniture together to solving conflicts with customers at a restaurant, smart women all over our precious Portland and beyond are submitting to patriarchal stereotypes to accomplish things. As a woman in the service industry, I understand how difficult it can be to get people to take you seriously. Too many times in my line of work and in daily life, I've seen women stand up for themselves and be dismissed as "crazy" or charged with being on her period instead of being listened to as, perhaps, some of their male counterparts might be.
