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The only feminist development I’d like to see is on your chest and between your legs…

February 7, 2018 By Michele Reeves 3 Comments

I find it fascinating that in response to an article about economic development, a male planner felt entirely comfortable telling me that the only thing of value about me is how developed my breasts and vagina are. In fact, he seemed downright proud about that observation, so much so that he signed his email to me with his company logo, telephone number and web address. What precipitated this completely unprofessional sexist email outrage that I quoted exactly in the headline?

Well, this woman had the nerve to write an article a few months ago about how important it is for cities and states to develop their “improve what you have” toolkit — an area of economic development that ranges from completely ignored, to being given a proverbial “pat on the head” and told to go back to its room and be quiet. Apparently, having the temerity to offhandedly describe our typical approach to economic development as having male attributes just once, and describing a different approach that builds more local wealth as having female attributes, was enough to make Mr G’s head explode.

Here is a screen grab of his lovely email (contact info blurred or cropped out):

Mr G Email

So tell me Mr G, am I wrong that men have historically dominated, and still dominate, positions of leadership in every area that impacts economic development? Am I wrong that men run almost all large companies in America? Am I wrong that men dominate the fields of infrastructure and construction? Am I wrong that men dominate elected office on the Federal, State and local level? Am I wrong that men dominate in the ownership of architecture and planning firms? Am I wrong that economic development policy has long been promulgated by white men for the benefit of white men, and not women and people of color? Am I wrong that it is men who come up with genius economic development plays, such as building stadiums for billionaires, in the name of economic development?

It’s pretty clear that our current economic development apparatus was created by, and has been run by white men since forever. Now obviously (although maybe not to our friend Mr. G), pointing this out does not mean that EVERY man supports the traditional approach to economic improvement, or wants to see it continue unabated. It’s a pretty big stretch to conflate “it’s not a bad thing to consider changes that have female attributes” to “all men suck.”

The fact that my email planning buddy made this connection means he is being a bitch, a douche, a girlie man, a pussy… it’s interesting, isn’t it, that many of the words we use to put men down are actually ways of calling them out for having female attributes? Are men really so fragile, and are we really so fragile as a nation, that the idea of identifying a set of characteristics as being both female and superior, is controversial, or even wrong? (Outside of our allowed area of traditional female excellence: sweetness, caring, sexiness, enthusiasm and cuteness, of course.)

The bottom line is that when I think about national and state organizations that have been involved in the “improve what you have” economic development space for a long time, and very successfully, I come up with two groups that are well represented with women in leadership roles: Historic Preservation and National Main Streets. Yep, girls rule!

As a woman, when I publish something in the public realm, I understand I am opening myself to criticism, to people challenging my ideas, and to people disagreeing with me. Bring it on! But let’s be clear that Mr G’s response is none of those things. Instead, its intent is to increase the costs for women to participate in public discussion. It’s like punishment for participation.

Well, your #TimesUp Mr G.

And it’s time for America to unabashedly embrace and celebrate all of the great attributes and approaches women bring to the table. And men need to understand there is NEVER a time when it is okay to reference a woman’s genitals in a professional setting. Period.

=================================
The paragraphs from the article Mr G is referencing follow below, and the single reference to each gender in the entire article are in bold text.

You can look at commercial district revitalization in two ways: The first way, which is the common way, and unfortunately not the best way, is to hatch a scheme to get rid of everything that is underperforming and replace it with something else. Bulldoze it, and start over with a blank slate. This approach to economic revitalization is the cornerstone of many well-intentioned plans — the wholesale replacement of entire existing commercial ecosystems. It is also an approach that values typical male attributes: valuing big, valuing new, valuing the deal. This is truly a shame since these districts often have wonderful businesses, owned by locals, that serve as non-traditional anchors pulling from wide trade areas.

The second way to approach these eclectic, local, one-of-a-kind commercial places is to figure out how to improve what is already there. Not only improve, but fully embrace and leverage what is there to ratchet up economic performance and brand. Remember, it’s always easiest to brand around unique and authentic assets, which these districts typically have in spades. Growing your improvement from within, locally and incrementally, instead of imposing it from without, is what I call a female approach to economic development.

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Asides, Feature Posts, Planning, Portland, Revitalization, Special Tagged With: #MeToo, #TimesUp, Architecture, Planning, Sexism

avatar for Michele Reeves

About Michele Reeves

Michele E. Reeves is an urban strategist with significant private sector experience revitalizing commercial districts. Her 14 plus years in real estate include working on public/private partnerships, marketing unknown or undesirable districts, pre-development consulting, siting manufacturing facilities, strategizing acquisitions and development with private sector investors, helping districts build identity, and creating retail leasing strategies. She founded Civilis Consultants to assist mixed-use and commercial districts to recognize and leverage their strengths, build successful relationships, and craft their unique stories. Michele has a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Michele E Reeves
Principal
CIVILIS Consultants
503.867.8465
www.civilisconsultants.com

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Comments


  1. Warning: strlen() expects parameter 1 to be string, object given in /home/urbdezin/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 3380
    avatar for UrbDeZineMichael-Leonard Creditor says

    February 9, 2018 at 10:20 am

    Ms. Reeves:
    i think it is wrong of you to not identify this totally unprofessional bozo. “Mr. G” should man up and have to stand by his untimely and incompetent tirade. his employers also should be made aware that they have a “loose cannon” on their staff.

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    • Warning: strlen() expects parameter 1 to be string, object given in /home/urbdezin/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 3380
      avatar for UrbDeZineMichele Reeves says

      February 12, 2018 at 12:39 am

      Thank you Michael-Leonard for weighing in on this. I really wrestled with how to handle his email, and whether to out him… for months! Ultimately, I decided not to. Instead, I replied to his email directly, deplored his behavior, advised him and his cc:d buddy that they really weren’t complying with AICP standards of conduct, and provided them with a link to this article! I figure that I can start this exchange with some optimism (and maybe a bit of naiveté) that Mr G will learn some sort of lesson from this, and in the process, we can remind everyone that this is the sort of behavior women encounter all to frequently. Anyway, I figure this approach is a place to start… focusing on the behavior. I should note, the opportunity for outing is not eliminated by taking this tack, and should the need arise, it’s a path I can still choose to tread!

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  2. Warning: strlen() expects parameter 1 to be string, object given in /home/urbdezin/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 3380
    avatar for UrbDeZineMichele Reeves says

    February 12, 2018 at 12:44 am

    Bill!! As always, I appreciate your support — as a writer, as a thinker, and as a woman developing a response to a steaming pile of ignorant misogyny!! Mil gracias amigo.

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