BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS

The above list is a send-up of newly released and serious research paper, "The Prevalence of Women in PR," by Sharon Barclay, the Boston GM for a major PR firm.

While a number of studies have looked at the pay disparity between the genders in PR, the glass ceiling in the industry and issues surrounding inequality in the workplace, this paper investigates why there's been a dramatic increase of women among the PR ranks.

Over the past 20 years, there has been a flood of women entering the field of public relations. Statistics from the US Department of Labor (1997) show that although women account for 58.7 percent of the US workforce, more than 65 percent of public relations specialists are women. In 1970, the number of women in PR was at a mere 27 percent. Today, by some expert accounts that figure exceeds 80 percent.

Why? Here are a few excerpts from Barclay's study:

#10 -- Traditional Female Professions

Like it or not, the traditional professions of women have affected how and why women have entered PR. As early as the 1870s, women moved toward careers that were the least controversial and offered little resistance from society -- those that were perceived as an extension of traditional domestic roles, such as school teachers or nurses. According to Mary Hoffschweilie PhD., author of "Women Professionals," "Women have found that their traditional association with home and children justified career advancement in the "helping" professions such as teaching, nursing, or social work. Traditional connotations also impeded women's recognition as professionals."

PR has been called a "pink collar" profession, meaning one that is dominated by women, does not require much professional training, and does not carry equal pay or prestige. Examples of pink collar professions include nurses, secretaries, librarians, and teachers. It's no coincidence that all of these are giving and caring professions. Even in the 21st century, "soft" jobs still seemed to be the women's domain.

#9 -- Perceived Glamour

One of the interviewees said succinctly, "From the outside, PR has a perception of glamour and a hint of power and influence. How sexy is that?"

There's no question, PR has sex appeal that attracts those who find the prospect of a traditional white collar jobs too run-of-the mill.

#8 -- The Sexing of the PR Business

Although it was an unintentional objective of this study, the interviews with people in the industry revealed that females are using their gender in their work. Feedback from both men and women outline some interesting ideas on how women's sexuality is part of their PR work: "On some level, managers know that in the service business, especially with male clients, so it doesn't hurt to have attractive women. And there are some extraordinary looking women in this business." Or simple,"Frankly, women (generally speaking) present a more attractive package and are easier on the eyes."

#7 -- The Industry's Priorities Dissuades Men

From those interviewed, all agreed that the industry's reputation can be perceived as unmanly. One respondent commented that a man joining the PR profession is "tantamount to joining a university level cheerleading squad." There has certainly been a feminization of the profession, but if we ask the question "why so many women?" we must also ask "where are all the men?"

Another respondent said, "Men's priorities tend to be around a career which is part and parcel with money. They're giving a lot of messages that say if you're money motivated, then this isn't the career for you as it's not the highest paid, compared to stockbrokers or investment banking. Money and perception are key. That's why I believe there are few male nurses."

#6 -- Presents No Conflict with Men

From interviews with a broad selection of PR professionals in the industry, both male and female, many claimed that women joined the PR industry in droves because it presented no conflict with men. According to one respondent, "For some reason it has become an accepted place for a woman to get a career that doesn't challenge men. It's a viable profession that a young woman can get into quite easily without going head-to-head with male counterparts. It's accepted for a woman to be successful in it."

Research studies support that idea, revealing that women often experience difficulty in asserting authority, expressing themselves in public, engaging in aggressive debate, or having ideas credited.

#5 -- The Only Way into the Boardroom

The conflict issue aside, others believe that PR, and to some extent HR, is the only way in to the boardroom. One respondent said, "I work with the CEO and CFO every single day and I only have 10 years experience. It's not easy in corporate America for women to get to that kind of role, certainly not in R&D. HR is on the only other area where you see women."

#4 -- Women Work Harder

Both men and women interviewed were unanimous in their belief that women in PR work much harder than their male colleagues. One respondent said he only hires females when it comes to building a PR team. "If I'm building a team, I will hire all women. They have an ability to multitask, stay focused, get the job done more efficiently and more reliably than men. They have a natural tendency. It lends to their strengths."

The majority of those interviewed for the study said variously that women work harder, write better and are not confrontational.

#3 -- Women Tend to Take a Lot More Shit

Sadly, women interviewed believe that females in the industry are there because of the "Battered Wife Syndrome." This theme recurred throughout the interviews with women, which came up unprompted, throughout the course of the discussion.

According to one respondent, "Women tend to take a lot more shit. You'll work through it and do stuff for the good of the firm. They stay in companies/relationships that might not be the best thing for them because they're willing to take it. Men just leave. It's the abusive relationship syndrome."

#2 -- Low/No Barrier to Entry

A frightening discovery is that some in the industry believe the communications field is considered a lesser, easier career choice. According to one respondent, "There's a low barrier to entry because there's no specific degree to get into it. Communications at my college was the jock major because it's very easy. Athletes took it because some of them were really stupid and would take communications to stay in college. That way, they could be a sportscaster afterwards. They're easier classes."

But when it comes to the central question of why women have entered the field in such high numbers, there are indicators that link "female" traits to the decision making process. Those interviewed for this paper agreed that many PR neophytes could not decide what they want to do at college. PR was/is an easy alternative.

#1 -- In Women's Minds, Altering Reality is not a Lie

Women not only communicate differently from men, but they perceive what they see in a different way.

From a physiological perspective, men's brains have about six and a half times the amount of gray matter related to general intelligence than women. Conversely, women have nearly 10 times the amount of white matter related to intelligence than men. Gray matter is the information processing centers in the brain, while white matter is the networking (or connections between) these processing centers. This physiological makeup gives women more emotional intelligence, which is exactly the kind of skill that's needed for public relations.

In fact, even how women deal with the truth is different from men, thanks to the extra white matter they have. Studies have shown that both men and women lie, but women do it to avoid conflict or make others feel better, while men lie to make themselves look good, be more impressive or to get something.

Women said a lie is an intentional untruth "that hurts someone." Men said a lie was a misstatement of the facts. Given it has already been established that women are "pleasers", now there is evidence to suggest that women consider lying acceptable if it's done to make others feel good. In fact, according to Hollander's research, women don't even consider anything that's said unintentionally that would hurt someone a lie. The word "lying" usually implies a teller's awareness of spreading untruths.

What's more interesting is that the extra white matter in women's brains also means they're better liars whether they like it or not. According to research by Yaling Yang and Adrian Raine, both of the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (published in the October 2005 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry), more white matter -- the wiring in the brain -- helps in the formulation of deceptions. "More white matter may provide liars with the tools necessary to master the complex art of deceit."

PR is not about lying. PR is about changing opinions and behaviors, and having a mutually adaptive relationship with key stakeholders. But in the quest of that goal are women are more comfortable altering reality and shifting mindsets through the PR process because in their minds it's not a lie?

Well, that pretty much covers it. Any questions?