[Calm]

I understand your dilemma completely. By choice I work for pretty much exclusively an all-white male company in a predominantly all-white industry – building products/construction. I also moved to a medium-sized city in Georgia. I’m a native Texan. Not only am I the first woman, but the first black in a management position, although I don’t have any direct reports. I was in a high-pressure blue chip corporate environment and decided to simplify and drop salary for a less-stressful work environment so I could focus more on family (just me and my husband at this point). Anyway, I am in what most would call a small ‘redneck’ town, and everybody knows everybody’s business. At first I tried being friendly with everyone, and it was clear they were uncomfortable. I wasn’t telling my business, just talking generalities and ‘nice -ities.’ Clearly you are not in the ‘in’ crowd unless folks know how much money you got, what kind of house you are living in, etc. Bottom line, anyone asking these questions is trying to get in your business. There are all sorts of ways to try to build a friendly relationship with someone without asking personal questions. I prefer to keep my personal business out of my working environment as much as possible. I would not tell anyone at my job – I don’t care how friendly they are – anything I wouldn’t want everybody in the plant knowing about. I socialize within the boundaries of the work, but as far as lunch and outside activities, I choose not to participate. Since I have a full spiritual life with God and my church family, and a rewarding relationship with my husband, I’m not missing much.

User Detail :  

Name : Calm, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : Augusta, State : GA, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

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