A lot of women in the corporate sector have probably had their ideas "hepeated" by a man. If you have ever given an idea or a suggestion at work and then everyone just shrugs at it and gives you blank stares, but when a male colleague repeats the idea, he is given credit for it. This is a unique kind of sexism that is known as "hepeating". Hepeating is when a man voices out your comments or ideas and gets praised as though they are his own. Even though the society we live in today is a patriarchal one, this is something that needs to stop. What are the signs that you are being hepeated at your workplace as a woman?
1. You suggest an idea, and it gets ignored
You have probably been in a meeting, and you share this brilliant idea with your colleagues and the management simply brushes it off. This will probably make you not want to share any constructive views in the future.
2. A male colleague repeats your idea and gets applauded for it
It is the hard truth that you have been hepeated when a male colleague repeats your idea during the meeting and gets credit for it. You simply can't believe that the dude just stole your idea and everyone acts like it's normal.
3. Nicole Gugliucci and her friends coined the term
You must be wondering where the term "hepeating" came from. Well, Nicole Gugliucci, an astronomer and professor together with her friends coined the word in one of her tweets. When used in a typical sentence it will sound like "He just hepeated me!" The word has since been retweeted over 70k times and has gone viral on social media platforms.
4. A new word to the feminist vocabulary
The word "hepeated" has been liked over 200k times on Twitter alone. This is definitely a new term added to the feminist vocabulary. Feminists advocate for equal rights between men and women. Other words in the feminist lexicon include patriarchy, manspreading and now hepeating is being added to the list.
5. So many women have experienced hepeating
You are probably not the only one who has been a victim of hepeating, most women have experienced it. It is very similar to mansplaining, and according to feminists, it is wrong as it makes women feel like they have no voice.
6. Hepeating has been happening for a long time
The act of a man stealing a woman's idea and making it his own is not a new thing. Hepeating has been happening for centuries. For instance, most people are not even aware of brilliant female researchers and scientists like Rosalind Franklin who studied DNA because they were never given any recognition.
7. Welcome to patriarchy
A patriarchal system is one where men are given more power than women. This type of social system is one that is shaped by customs and cultures where women have been ignored and given no voice. This has to stop!
8. This happens to men and women of color and the LGBTQIA as well
It does not come as a surprise that even men of color and the LGBTQIA also face this kind of sexism at work. This is the unfortunate reality that these people are seldom heard at the workplace and are likely to be hepeated.
9. To combat this, women must elevate other women
Women need to empower other women. This is one of the ways that we can combat hepeating at the workplace. Women simply need to be on the same team, especially when the idea of one of their own is brilliant.
10. We need men also to elevate women
Men at the workplace should also step up and support women. Making women heard is an excellent place to start in bringing an end to this kind of sexism in our society today.
