Women all around the world are taking a stand against gender inequality, staging protests and starting fundraisers in order to make their voices heard. One woman in particular has developed an ingenious method to put the patriarchy back in its place.
Lauren Robbins, 26, is a data analyst living in New York City. When she first started working in the male-dominated field, she found that many of her male coworkers refused to take her seriously and cited her gender as the reason why, even when she was promoted to manager of the data analytics department. Despite the obvious misogyny of the situation, Robbins’ employer refused to get involved in the conflict. That’s when Robbins took the matter into her own hands. Or rather, the crook of her own elbow.
“I decided to change my behavior around the office in order to see if I would be treated differently because of it. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I figured out that I needed to tap into men’s primal understanding of dominance. That’s when I changed how I sneezed.”
Instead of the typical “achoo”, Robbins began emitting a short yell as she sneezed, loud enough to carry throughout the office. (If you’re having trouble imagining this noise, think of the way your dad sneezes). After implementing the change, she noticed a difference in her coworkers’ behavior almost immediately.
“All of a sudden, I was being treated just like any of the other guys. It was like the behavioral cue of a sneeze-yell activated some instinctual response, causing them to recognize my authority. Ever since then, I’ve been treated with basic human respect, which has made work much more enjoyable for me.”
Robbins hopes that her discovery can be used by women facing gender discrimination everywhere. Her words of wisdom for women in similar positions: “Change your sneeze, change your life.”
Written by Francesca Varga, Social Media Officer