Thank you, Alex, for posting this. I learned some surprising facts about women in business. Your ruminations were also original and thought provoking. I am a

Thank you, Alex, for posting this. I learned some surprising facts about women in business. Your ruminations were also original and thought provoking. I am a business woman who will be hitting the submit button on YC very soon. Wish me luck :-) The comments you brought back from your class were a surprise. My own experience would contradict most of the points on your list. But then again, other women in business are a mystery to me too. I had very limited experience working with women in a professional setting. I am usually the only woman, or there are only 2 or 3 others in a room full of people. I feel awkward and don't know how to behave during those few occasions when I have to work closely with a woman. I have many women friends, with whom I have warm, close relationships. But I can't think of any close women business contacts. On the other hand, I fell totally comfortable in most working situations where I am surrounded by men. I have many, close business contacts who are men. :) I would like to thank GreenDestiny for his comment as well. The parallel between the faithful-black-servant image and the [bitchy, ice-queen] power-woman image hit home. It reminds me of writings by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (supreme court justice, fighter of discrimination towards blacks). His central thesis in life was that the dissident-minority group needs to be heard. Privately, he felt the majority-power group should rightfully enjoy all the fruits of their power while it lasts. But he fought for the minority because he strongly believed that the majority (and the society as a whole) is made richer by the effort expanded to refute (keep down) the minority. The majority is forced to introduce new ideas into their thoughts and hone the rhetoric that justifies their privilege.