In my graduate department was a Bright Student who had, furthermore, an excellent situation since she was married to a Nurse. She therefore had no financial worries, roommate worries, or dating worries, and her situation was slated to continue indefinitely: this Nurse, being a Nurse, was in a position to move, when she got an academic job, to virtually any location.
We were all surprised when this Student never got a job, since she had an excellent vita. She eventually discovered that there was a Letter in her File from her Dissertation Director, explaining that she was Married to a Man with a Career, and was therefore unlikely to Move.
One of my departments later interviewed, and offered a job to a Woman married to a Tenured Professor Elsewhere. We happened to know they already had a Commuter Marriage and expected to continue having one, although the possibility that our insititution might hire her husband – who was in a technical field – existed, as did the possibility that his institution might eventually hire her.
We – and she – also knew that it was only by chance that we had this information, and that it was impolitic to bring any of it up, or to consider it. Our Wicked Colleague, however, attempted to raise it with her directly at the Candidate Dinner, where he also made a few sexually harassing remarks. She said to him, “You know, your Office of Human Resource Management would not be at all pleased with your behavior right now.”
We offered her the job, but our Wicked Colleague also wrote the Dean, saying, the Department has made a Mistake, she is Married to a Tenured Professor Elsewhere, and she is young and could be Pregnant. If she is Pregnant, she will get caught up in raising children and will not make tenure. Come to think of it, she probably is Pregnant – brown women usually are.
If in fact she is Pregnant her husband, not just brown but also non-Western, will definitely forbid her to live on her own. In sum, she will clearly never come here. While we wait for this bad news our Alternate Candidates will take Other Positions. Unable to Hire, we will risk that most Dreaded of Fates – the possibility of Losing the Line. Save us from ourselves. Do not approve this Hire.
The Dean sent this memo to the Chair with a Post-It on it, saying, “Please control your Faculty.” I liked this Dean for that.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Strange that such backwards ideas about women still exist.
A lot of what I talk about here, in the workplace vein, is not current, it wouldn’t be discreet. One of these stories is is ten years old, another twenty. That is not really all that old, however … affirmative action and feminism have done a lot in the past 10-20 years for white academic women who act ‘right’!
Still I notice it is *really* hard for women to get taken seriously, still … whereas men are taken seriously even if they barely publish.
What’s next, mandatory hysterectomies for women academics?
Pepe Escobar speaks of the remedievalization of society.
Maybe chastity belts are the answer.
Oooh, thanks for reminding about remedievalization. It is true in so many ways. Everyone needs to look at Pepe Escobar’s book and also to consider the meaning of the term “liquid modernity” (which I have just learned, and love).
I could be indiscreet with more current stories – alas – but I’ll resist.
I was once a fixture as a so-called affirmative action officer on committees – you can imagine how popular that made me!
Liquid Modernity=a steam roller on crack-cocaine.
Escobar’s book looks veeeeeery interesting. Thanks for the tip.
CS and Case – Yes. I would love to distract myself by reading the book now (Escobar, liquid war). And the Bauman too (liquid modernity).
RG – OMG, an AA/EEO officer! I’ve added some details to this post. Check out the bolded parts!