Wine Equality
I hesitated to write something today regarding what I read in the New York Times. It’s a touchy subject, and knowing that my position now in Brno is quite public, I prefer to keep my personal views to myself. Yet after reading this heart-breaking article, I knew I had to share my thoughts with you all.
I’m certainly not the first woman to say this : It is not easy being a woman in the wine industry. I have been subject to and know other women who have been subject to harassment, humiliation, assault and inappropriate verbal or physical conduct. We are put into situations where alcohol is the key player, where we are in the minority, where we are forced to perform at a near perfect level, while our male counterparts can oftentimes escape into mediocrity. We are often the subject of jokes, as “lifestyle wannabe’s” or “fashionista mavens”all the while desperately trying to show the world that we are serious, hard working and knowledgeable.
Nevertheless, we women are defiant and resilient. Thankfully, with organizations like the Women in Wine Leadership Symposium, Assemblage Symposium and recently published articles like this, featured in Food and Wine Magazine, women are gaining ground in a traditionally male-dominated field. I am eternally grateful to the leading female pioneers of the industry, such as Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Jancis Robinson and Madeline Triffon. Their forward thinking leadership skills and decisive career choices paved the way for people like me to be accepted as a wine professional.
Today, we as women must make smart decisions, regarding what we wear, what we say, or how we say it. We must maintain our professionalism and poise, our style and grace. We define what it takes to be strong and taken seriously in our work environment. And, for these reasons, I am proud to continue my work as a woman in the wine industry.
To be clear : I am not writing this article to demonize all men. I know hundreds of men in the industry who are supportive, considerate and respectful. I’m lucky enough to be married to one. But men and women need to work cohesively together, to support each other, in order for everyone to succeed. Over the years, I have shared my work space with understanding, compassionate men. So just to reiterate, this blog post is not to accuse all men of impropriety, but is only here to highlight that certain men in the industry make it particularly difficult for women to succeed in a professional setting. The tide is turning, and these men who once thought that their inappropriate behavior was simply ‘a mistake,’ are now being rightfully accused in a public forum.
Personal Experiences
For those of you who may not know me or understand what I do, I am a wine educator. I spend my days researching wine, networking, and organizing wine tastings and seminars in Brno’s city center. My goal is to form a wine community amongst the English speakers of Brno, without regard to race, nationality, gender or sexual orientation. My goal is to encourage others to learn about wine, culture and history, all while sharing a glass with others. I’ve had both women and men attend my events, enjoying a carefree evening, sipping wine and learning about its origins. I have never been happier with my work and I love what I do.
Throughout my career, I have encountered hundreds of women who have inspired me to start my own business, to be my own boss. I admire their hustle, their continued successes, wine expertise and peer encouragement. It’s exciting and rewarding, yet stressful and demanding. A hard day’s work is up to me: I determine the subject material, I handle the promotions, and I try to bring fresh, innovative ideas to my wine tastings. I feel like these opportunities allow me to combine my love of teaching with my love of wine culture, all while sharing it with an international crowd in the middle of Europe.
My job brings me endless joy. I get to share what I know with others, which ultimately makes me feel empowered and strong. The women in the industry that I’ve met thus far here in Brno and back in the US work hard, defy the status quo, and spend endless days and nights scouring wine books, articles, blogs and maps to learn more. We want to be taken seriously, and deserve every bit of respect from our male counterparts. But it’s not always easy.
The Struggle is Real
To be honest, I haven’t been feeling well this weekend, and have taken a break from anything involving wine. It’s the time of year where everyone gets a touch of the cold or the flu, and knowing that my upcoming week is jam packed with wine events, I didn’t want to risk anything. But today, feeling a bit stronger than yesterday, I settled into the couch with my first cup of coffee in three days, a small treasured victory in my weekend, ready to scroll through my Instagram feed. This small moment in my morning keeps me informed as to what I need to look out for in the wine industry, the newest trends, the latest releases and the best vintages. It encourages me to dig deeper, to learn more about what is currently driving the wine industry.
Yet today, the first post in my feed immediately caught my attention, and not for the right reasons. A celebrated, 29 year old Sommelier was recently accused of sexual assault and sexual impropriety by four separate women. But this is not just any sommelier, this young man was recently awarded Best New Sommelier by Wine and Spirits Magazine. My heart broke as I read through this devastating Times article, detailing the accusations and allegations against this man. But today, I was not shocked, as this is something that we as women have heard all too often. Unfortunately, it only reveals a fraction of the humiliation and fear that we women endure in our industry on a daily basis.
I am lucky to say that personally, I have not been subject to sexual assault or impropriety in the wine business. I have been surrounded by respectful employers, hard working sales representatives, and trustworthy buyers that are humble, considerate and courteous. But, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I have had to defend myself, for what I do, and why I do it, both here and in the United States.
I have had to explain to men that I’m not an alcoholic, I do not drink wine all day, and that I actually have certifications as a sommelier. I have to explain (in Czech…) that I am a sommelier who has tasted thousands of wines over the years, and I currently have my own wine education business in Brno. Oftentimes, after explaining my work, I get some sort of minor acknowledgement, but only after profusely defending my career choice. Yet I continue to do what I do, because I love to challenge myself as an independent woman in a male-dominated industry.
Luckily, I have had a strong foundation to shape me, including an active mother who has lived all over the world, a sister who is a celebrated author, professor and mother, and friends who work hard in their own professions. They are proof that women can be taken seriously in any profession, and I admire these strong women who persevere and share their story.
But I was truly shaken today after reading the New York TImes article. This 29 year old Sommelier is a young guy, with under a decade in the industry. After all, at his age, he has only legally been able to consume alcohol for 8 years. And to think that these allegations against him are making headlines in the New York Times, only makes me wonder if other men, with even more experience in the industry, will be exposed by accusations in time to come. Tragically, I know that there are more men out there, no matter their profession, who feel that they have the power to intentionally or unintentionally demean women, only to push themselves ahead. But I’m glad to know that there are women out there who are speaking up, refusing to accept this inappropriate behavior, who are determined to speak the truth.
The Challenges Ahead
Women have to rally together to gain acceptance. It’s the only way to fight the good fight. And we need the support of men to do so. Community can only be built by both genders, working together, bolstering each other up by their achievements. Empowerment needs to come from both sides of the aisle, and men have to support women in their career paths. Men can not sit back, but need to participate in the conversation. Thankfully, it is no longer right to victim blame, or shame women for their wardrobe selections. Women want to be taken seriously, no matter what we wear or how we style our hair. We simply want to be acknowledged for our expertise and our achievements.
So I am not writing this post to blame either men or women, but to bring to light that what we women in the industry deal with is a constant struggle of acceptance. Knowledge is power, and I will continue to share my wine expertise with others. You may find this article to be biased, and if so, it was not my intention. I am only sharing my feelings of the morning with the wine community here.
If you have comments? Feel free to share, but please be respectful. Will I continue to defend myself and what I do? Certainly. But I know that there are thousands of other men and women out there who have my back, who will also defend me and others close to me. Community can only be built by inclusivity, and by sharing my words with others, I hope to further develop this shared conversation.
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.
It shouldn't be that women are the exception.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg