Posted: Jan 14, 2012 5:30 pm
inkaStepa wrote:I'm a 5 ft 110 lb hispanic female. I'm just a student but I do make an effort to look professional. But, people still don't seem to take me seriously. I always find myself being talked down to or lectured. So my question is what makes people respect other people? Is it power and societal positions? What can I do to make myself seem more solid? Thanks.
I'm in a rather similar situation being Hispanic and also on the shorter side in regard to the height of other males (I also look much younger than I am, especially when I am cleanly shaved). This may make it a little harder to earn respect, but I find that most people can come to respect you through your actions and interactions with them. Even if you are a student, carry yourself as a professional. This can give you confidence which others may pick up on. When it comes to those that talk down to you or lecture you, and even interacting with people that aren't doing things like that, I would show interest and concern with what I am being told. At first they may not be showing much respect for you but in my experience, by showing that you are listening and maybe implementing some of their ideas, these people have a tendency to grow respect for you. In fact, some of the people that now respect me most were people that first treated me as if I didn't know anything.