Aug 9, 2017 · 1 min read
It’s perhaps impossible not to take “statistical generalizations” personally, no matter how much the person bringing them up says they’re not meant to be taken personally. I imagine if I worked in a female-dominated field like nursing, and a woman mentioned that men are, statistically, less empathetic, I would take that to mean I could never be a caring nurse. It would hurt, no matter how much it was qualified by statements that it’s only describing an average and doesn’t apply to any individual.
In the same way as you shouldn’t make comments about a coworker’s personal appearance, it’s best not to bring up this topic as it’s impossible to do so without creating an incredibly awkward atmosphere.