I applied for sales positions in video games stores. Amongst them, I find one store having particularly awful hiring practices, that could affect the hiring of young males - Playcraft. It only hires females to be its sales assistants.
I find this hiring practice sexist and discriminatory.
Indeed, hiring males could adversely affect job performance in many cases (not all). Males have the propensity to play video games/skive on work, because after all, 75% of console video game buyers are males (Entertainment Software Association, 2004). Also, males seem to seek sexual stimulation in everything they do, including roles that reflect popular stereotypes or gender roles, from Lara Croft's breast size in the Tomb Raider series of games, to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research's observations 'games with female heroes won't sell', so it is assumed that females might help increase sales levels in male-oriented game stores.
However, discrimination due to gender on the job is against Article 12 (2) of the Singapore Constitution, which guarantees all persons equal before the law. We cannot tell, too, that males will definitely 'cheat on the job' that could adversely affect business. It also goes against Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices's principles of hiring on merit.
I find it weird when sales assistants say, 'I don't know', when they are asked why they have this hiring practices. Indeed, it is simply a waste of energy and time supposedly for a young male person like me to squabble at this hiring practice in low-paying job positions. However, if there is no good reason why I cannot do the job due to possible incapacity of me performing the video game store's jobs, then why should I accept the norm?
I really wish someone will just change the employment practices of Playcraft. If not, we should raise this issue to game distributors, the government and the buyers of the games. What affects potential male employees in Playcraft can also affect people with Asperger's, regardless of their gender, in terms of discrimination of any sort.
I find this hiring practice sexist and discriminatory.
Indeed, hiring males could adversely affect job performance in many cases (not all). Males have the propensity to play video games/skive on work, because after all, 75% of console video game buyers are males (Entertainment Software Association, 2004). Also, males seem to seek sexual stimulation in everything they do, including roles that reflect popular stereotypes or gender roles, from Lara Croft's breast size in the Tomb Raider series of games, to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research's observations 'games with female heroes won't sell', so it is assumed that females might help increase sales levels in male-oriented game stores.
However, discrimination due to gender on the job is against Article 12 (2) of the Singapore Constitution, which guarantees all persons equal before the law. We cannot tell, too, that males will definitely 'cheat on the job' that could adversely affect business. It also goes against Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices's principles of hiring on merit.
I find it weird when sales assistants say, 'I don't know', when they are asked why they have this hiring practices. Indeed, it is simply a waste of energy and time supposedly for a young male person like me to squabble at this hiring practice in low-paying job positions. However, if there is no good reason why I cannot do the job due to possible incapacity of me performing the video game store's jobs, then why should I accept the norm?
I really wish someone will just change the employment practices of Playcraft. If not, we should raise this issue to game distributors, the government and the buyers of the games. What affects potential male employees in Playcraft can also affect people with Asperger's, regardless of their gender, in terms of discrimination of any sort.
