Female to female micro-aggression is alive and well at Microsoft!! It is hard enough being a female in a male dominated sector but getting picked at by passive aggressive superiors is astounding and a bit sad. Why does this occur?
It's a dominace thing that is human. That is how some people get ahead by taking out the competition around them.
Most people won’t like the answer, but the reason his happens is purely human nature/biology. Males AND females compete for mates, and generally for power/influence/etc. That’s why typically the best work relationships are fostered between opposite sex vs same sex. So if you’re a male, seek out a female boss (that won’t feel threatened by you, this is challenging if you’re in a technical role). If you’re a female, seek out a male boss. This is a predictable pattern that is comically reproducible at practically every social/working environment. Or in short...the minute you tease out a superior’s insecurity you’re on their shit list forever, specially same sex relationships.
This last paragraph has happened to me. It got ugly.
Yeah it's pretty bad. I would rather work with only men at Microsoft than to have to deal day to day with these petty women and their level pegging bullshit.
Sorry to hear this, OP. I work with females here at MSFT and they are all treated very well. Without their daily smiles I'd lose my shit and be a dick to everyone around.
Internalized sexism is real. We live in a culture that values toxic masculinity and many women have had to adopt these traits to survive. There used to only be one seat at the table for women, so the hunger-games mentality was a requisite. As more space is made for us, it's hard to evolve past methods that no longer are the most effective just because once upon a time they were. I don't see this same mentality with the young women I mentor, and I believe that slowly it will fade away.
You have toxic femininity
What exactly happened?
Sometimes they just don't like the fact you are younger and prettier 😄....
Goes for both genders..
My observation in general is that women are often treated worse by other women than by men. I don't think this is unique to Microsoft.
It's the thing around "i had a hard time getting here, so you should get used to that and be challenged". As they fear your success being treated normally would undermine their previous effort. Happens with all minorities.