Mayor Garcetti had the goal of 5% of LAFD being women by 2020. That goal was missed, but it almost certainly affected hiring. While women ARE required to meet the same minimum physical standards as men, the minimum standards are just that: minimum standards. Realistically, there were probably a lot of men who far exceed those standards g…
Mayor Garcetti had the goal of 5% of LAFD being women by 2020. That goal was missed, but it almost certainly affected hiring. While women ARE required to meet the same minimum physical standards as men, the minimum standards are just that: minimum standards. Realistically, there were probably a lot of men who far exceed those standards getting turned a way as the department prioritized women.
I was making small talk with a young woman at an L.A. coffee shop during that era and she told me she was studying for her EMT exams as part of fire academy training. I told her it was admirable she was training to become a firefighter, because it's such a tough job and incredibly competitive to get a spot (the jobs are very sought-after there). She said something like, "Well, it's really hard if you're a guy because there are so many guys trying to become firefighters, but they're trying to hire more women and there are only a few of us, so it's a lot easier for us to get a spot."
Realistically, as the department tried to hit goals, hiring the best of the best may have sometimes come second to diversity priorities. I'm sure women LAFD face a certain amount of discrimination because they're seen as diversity hires, which is unfair and insulting for both them and their male colleagues.
Mayor Garcetti had the goal of 5% of LAFD being women by 2020. That goal was missed, but it almost certainly affected hiring. While women ARE required to meet the same minimum physical standards as men, the minimum standards are just that: minimum standards. Realistically, there were probably a lot of men who far exceed those standards getting turned a way as the department prioritized women.
I was making small talk with a young woman at an L.A. coffee shop during that era and she told me she was studying for her EMT exams as part of fire academy training. I told her it was admirable she was training to become a firefighter, because it's such a tough job and incredibly competitive to get a spot (the jobs are very sought-after there). She said something like, "Well, it's really hard if you're a guy because there are so many guys trying to become firefighters, but they're trying to hire more women and there are only a few of us, so it's a lot easier for us to get a spot."
Realistically, as the department tried to hit goals, hiring the best of the best may have sometimes come second to diversity priorities. I'm sure women LAFD face a certain amount of discrimination because they're seen as diversity hires, which is unfair and insulting for both them and their male colleagues.