Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1992 - 42

harassmenr issues were nor being resolved
effecrively (Figure 5).

Q.

Do you have same-sex mentors or role models in
your current theatre specialization?
'00 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

PART I OONOLUSIONS
The good news is rhar ir appears rhe
respondenrs felr educarion ro be reasonably
bias free. There is, however, a conflicr in
rhe dara concerning classroom bias and
insrrucror sensiriviry ro gender bias. Since
such a large majorirv of respondenrs felr
rhe classroom was bias free, why would so
many women indicare a lack of gender bias
sensiriviry on rhe parr of insrrucrors? Also,
whar behaviors on rhe parr of rrainers were
rriggering rhis response and how could
rhey be alleviared)
A parrial explanarion may be found in
rhe differing communicarion sryles
berween men and women. Previous srudies
have shown rhar in group serrings, women
are inrerrupred more frequenrly rhan men,
and rheir conrriburions are ofren eirher
arrribured ro men or ignored. Perhaps
women srudenrs felr rhar rhe more
objective measures of rheir performance,
resrs scores, and course grades were more
equirable [han more subjective realms such
as class discussions.
The srarisrics on same-sex menrors are
of concern. When reflecting back ro rhe
"nerworking" panel previously menrioned,
rhere was a conspicuous lack of women
presenr over age 35. Are women in posirions of aurhoriry or arrisric leadership
unavailable ro rhe women srudenrs? Do
sufficienr numbers of women professionals
exisr in rechnical rhearre ro menror rhe
newcomers) Furrher, will bias prevenr
women who are currenrly srudenrs from
ach ievi ng higher-level posi rions where
menroring would come inro play) Research
in orher fields suggesrs rhar discriminarion
is more frequenr and apparenr ar higher
levels (rhe "glass ceiling"). Will women
leave rhe field prior ro achieving rhese
posirions? And finally, will women who
achieve rhese professional levels feel any
obligarion ro nurrure younger women)
Surely men can (and do) play an imporranr role as menrors ro rheir women
srudenrs. However, whar female srudenrs
may need mosr from women faCLilrv
menrors and role models is a demonsrrarion
of how [Q "have a life" and also work in rhe
rhearre. Balancing career and familv
responsibiliries can be a major srumbling
block in rhe career progress of women.
The responses ro sexual harassmen r
quesrions were some of rhe mosr disrurbing
dara revealed by rhe survey. This gives rise
ro some fear rhar rhe "casring couch"
menraliry mighr sri II be alive in rhe rhearre
profession. Tolerarion of sexual harassmenr
by f:1culry or sraff scnds rhe message rhar
40

1992 SUMMER

TD&T

80

(~

.....................*....... _

.

60

I
20

yes

no

yes

lema!e

male

rlGURE II

Q.

Ale you in a tenure·track position?
100 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

models and menrors, and conrinuing
problems wirh sexual harassmenr-could
produce a nighrmare scenario for some
srudenrs. Thar nighrmare would be female
srudenrs being subjecred ro sexual
harassmenr from rhe very professionals
from which rhey so desperarelv need
sponsorship inro rhe profession.
The indicarions are rhar women need
exrra supporr gaining enrry inro rhis field
of rhearre, ver manv conrinue ro face
considerable roadblocks.

PART II: PERCEIVED
BIAS IN OOMMERCIAL
OR REGIONAL THEATRE

80

60

20

yes

yes

no

no

female

mal.

rlGURE 12

Q.

Ale you tenurec?
100
800/,

80
60
40
20

yes

no

male

rlGURE 13
Q.

Do you feel that both genders are
equally represented in your institution?
100 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

80

.

...... 59:'% ..

rlGURE 14

rhis is acceprable or ar leasr rolerable
behavior in rhe professional world as well,
rhus perperuaring rhe pracrice. This should
be of primarv concern ro reaching
insrirurions and ro organizarions such as
USITT as well. Insrirurions of higher
educarion have an obligarion [Q reach and
model profcssional erhics as well an arrisric
and rcchnical compercnce.
A combinarion of rhe rhree problems
of mosr conccrn in rhis secrion-a lack of
sensiriviry ro gender bias on rhe parr of
insrrucrors, a lack of womcn [Q serve as role

In Parr 2 of rhe survey, which addresses rhe
respondenrs' perceprions of bias in
commercial and regional rhearre, ir is
worrh no ring rhar 50% of all respondenrs
work in commercial or regional rhearre.
Many of rhe quesrions parallel rhose in rhe
rraining secrion, making ir possible [Q rrack
wherher some rypes of bias became berrer
or worse as women progressed in rheir
careers.
Fifry percenr of women and 31 % of
men surveyed felr rhar rhere was nor equal
opporrul1iry ro secure employmenr in
commercial rhearre (Figure 6). To gain
more specific informarion on rhis larger
issue, we asked quesrions regarding equal
rrearmenr of borh genders in various
employmenr pracrices. In hiring pracrices,
68% of women compared ro 24% of men
felr rhere was a lack of equal rrearmenr
(Figure 7). On rhe issue of pay equiry, 56%
of females and 33% of male respondenrs
felr rhere was nor pay equiry berween rhe
genders (Figure 8). In equal advancemenr
porenrial for borh sexes, 52% of women as
opposed ro 32% of men see rhis as a
problem (Figure 9). Finally, men and
women were far aparr on perceprions of
auronomy gran red by superiors: Forryseven percenr of women noriced inequaliry
in auronomy granred by superiors
compared ro 16% of men who noriced
inequaliry (Figure 10).
Changing focus slighrly, rhe quesrion
was posed wherher, considering rheir
cducarion and rraining, rhe respondenrs
felr rhey were underemploved. Only 50%
of rhe women surveyed indicared rhey do
nor feel underemploved; 60% of rhe men
survevcd do nor feel undercmploved.
Agai 11, wc asked responden rs abou r
effecrivc resolurion of sexual harassmenr
issucs in commcrcial and regional rhearrc.
And again, as in Parr I, wc nore wirh somc
conccrn rhar on Iv 21 % of all respondcnrs
feel rhar rhese issues are bcing cffccrively
resolved. The quesrion was asked abour rhe
availabilirv of same-sex menrors also
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1992
