Ugly people need not apply
Equal opportunity employer?? No way. Not here in Italy. That is a photo of a "help wanted" sign in the window of a furniture store. It reads like this:
HIRING SALESWOMAN
EXPERIENCED
ATTRACTIVE
Yes, it requests that she (no men please) be attractive, and I am sorry to say that it is all too common. In fact, at first glance, I'm not sure if they want a hooker or a salesperson. You would never see this in America (so blatantly written, anyway), if the prospective employer had no desire to see the inside of a courtroom. Has it ever occurred to you to care about the appearance of your local futon saleswoman?
Things are different here.
They typical response, with no irony would be, "You know, a cute girl, she can flirt and sell more couches."
MmmmHmmm. Italian logic at its best.
posted by Tracie P. at 2/23/2006 02:21:00 PM
7 Comments:
Tra you are right about it not being so blatant in America.
2/23/2006 3:25 PM
You should have heard what that creepy, orange, channel 4 news guy said to francesca from Grande Fratello, when she was auditioning for a news job, "what big tits you have!" (only it was in italian)
2/24/2006 4:40 AM
In America we don't advertise or say it out loud, but if you don't think pretty counts here, you'd be sadly mistaken.
We are just more discreet about what we really think. Pretty will get hired over not pretty everytime.
2/24/2006 2:35 PM
Yea, in America it IS par for the course, to hire the "most attractive", but they can't advertise it that way.
On one hand though, I appreciate the "openness" of European thought in such things (at least, Greeks and Italians, don't know about the "civilized" north), like the "big tits" comment, and so on. At least they aren't hiding it, and making a federal case out of every little thing. On the OTHER hand though, ideas like this, when coupled with things like the Italian Supreme Court decision about rape, make it seem like women are only valued for certain things, and that is really backwards.
2/25/2006 9:57 AM
Good ol' Italian logic. Yes does seem in some senses that the Italian logic is a little backwards, to be polite about i.t
2/27/2006 5:59 AM
Tracie "Bella Presenza" does not mean pretty but well dressed, well mannered, and well groomed.
In other words, you do not have to be pretty but you should be relatively fit for your age, dress appropriately to have contact with the public, and express yourself correctly.
Things that should be a basis for any person having to deal with the public.
3/17/2006 10:18 AM
exactly, attractive. and here in naples, you bes' be pretty too ;)
3/17/2006 10:30 AM
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