[Glice]

Again, I can't help but feel that what's being discussed is sometimes a broader critique of vulgar capitalism, and moronic bureaucracy, than it is 'feminism'; I'm not saying 'everyone OT', but what you're describing there Rob is a different problem than gender bias in society.

I've been in the situation you're describing above, and I've pushed for similar dispensations as women in that situation; I'm lucky enough to be articulate, to the point where I can throw what amount to empty threats at a manager and rely upon his not knowing precisely what I'm talking about but feeling threatened. This does sound a bit 'I'm fucking great', but it's actually down to the fact that the structure of most bureaucracies isn't based upon superior knowledge but structural sinecures; rarely do people know what they're actually doing. Unfortunately, another consequence of this same structure is precisely what we're criticising - individuals tend to refer back to a perceived status quo, which is where prejudices broader than racism or sexism (etc) begin to disrupt things.