Good morning everyone! I had a rough weekend and I needed a day to recover. I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy. On to the question for today:
Anonymous says: “Is no one else feeling like Six is just making propaganda for DDE or Mailgirl Enterprises?! Congress starts talking about regulation and suddenly we get AMAs and shiny advertisements on the TV – I don’t buy it.”
“Some of us agree with the white-stocking movement. These programs should be banned. They’re just slavery in the App age.”
Thanks for the comment Anonymous. I can assure you I’m not doing propaganda for DDE. If you notice I rarely talk about Mailgirl Enterprises or the parent company. If I were they would be paying me some big bucks and I would have hired someone else to do it on the sly.
(LOL. I know how business works now.)
But your post does bring up certain credibility issues and current events I should probably address. I write this blog in the morning before I go to work. I learned early on in order to do what I do I have to maintain a positive attitude. My life would be unlivable if I didn’t. I spend my days looked down on, laughed at and humiliated; Waiting for the MMU to buzz and send me running off on the next deadline and naked for anyone to see. I don’t love doing this. Being gawked at all day, not making eye contact and treated like a machine. It is emotionally taxing so I try to start off with positivity which helps me get through. This is my fourth contract, counting my internship, so I know the mental rigors as much as the physical ones. If I’m not telling you how dreadful everything is I might be because I don’t want to think about it.
Also I am being compensated for my work, as humiliating as it is I am very well paid. I am a competent adult that made a sound financial decision. Starting salary for someone with my degree is $31k-53k, and you know women are always on the lower end of that scale. So I’m a fool for taking a job that pays $125k first year starting? Please.
The most common job for women with no college degree in the United States is a waitress. And what do they make annually? $18k-33K.
Who is really being exploited here, me or the waitress you decide not to tip?
And $125k per year is just the starting salary. I negotiate all my renewal contracts. I have a Human Resources degree and I have completed several contracts, my price goes up each time. I can recruit, not because I manipulate women but because I can speak from experience. If they sign a contract I get a bonus and she gets a job that pays well. Ever think it might be a win-win?
Now I can only speak for my position. I’m not being forced to do this. There is no manipulation going on. I am twenty-five years old, have paid off my student debt, own a condo and am saving for retirement. And I think I may retire comfortably before I turn thirty five. Does your job pay so well you can call it quits that young?
There are a lot of negatives to being a Mailgirl but there are a lot of positives as well.
It’s not slavery, not in this case. Now I know in some states; Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee and I think Wisconsin, prisoners can be sentenced to unpaid labor. If some weasel in their state legislature convinced them to force women into this for no pay its a human rights violation, plain and simple. That should totally be illegal.
But if a woman decides to do this it should be her choice. If she gets breast implants to enhance her looks or has her numbers permanently tattooed on, I’m fine with it so long as it’s her choice.
But women do need to be wary of what company they are working for. I signed my second contract blind because the money was good. I should have looked into it more.
So no, I’m not writing corporate propaganda. That’s why I’m keeping things mostly anonymous including my real number, name, and the name of the companies I’ve worked for. They can’t send me a Cease and Desist letter if they don’t know who or where to send it to.
Lastly, I say “health and efficiency matters” because it does. It is good advice, especially to Mailgirls.
I hope that answers your question Anonymous, even if it was more of an accusation. I hope you have a very good day and the next time you get the chance, appreciate a Mailgirl. She probably works very hard to do what she is doing.
So keep those questions and comments coming, even the negative ones. I said ask me anything and I meant it. Be good to your local Mailgirls and remember; health and efficiency matters!
Six, you didn’t answer mine. Just skipped right passed it.
I’m sure she’ll get to everyone but I agree Six needs to work harder. Failing to call us Sirs and Madams, or call herself a worthless mailgirl… its a good thing she’s anonymous or id be reporting her to her company.
She’s doing this blog on her off time though and she’s not on a 24/7 contract at the moment, so does that apply, I wonder.
Six, thank you for your answers and your honesty. It may be hard for some of us textiles to remember the motivating superiority we feel in command of you and your kin comes at the cost of your dignity and, to some extent, your humanity.
It isn’t a cost we pay, so we don’t see it – some, in fact, revel in it. Your honesty is appreciated and telling – your positivity, even if it is a coping mechanism, is admirable.
Still we are grateful to see behind the mask, It sounds as though you have traded some hard years now for some easy ones later – a choice, I think, most would find tempting if offered the same.
I’d like to ask other questions of you, if I may – considering the above and what you had written in your previous posts, do you think you could ever do a ‘normal’ job again?
And, perhaps more forwardly, would you object to a contract if sexual gratification was added to your duties? It sounds like this may already be happening ‘under the radar’ so I am interested to know if this would be a line you wouldn’t cross.