Are cold rooms notoriously sexist?

[Stevicus]

Cynthia Nixon asked to adjust the AC. It isn't silly — it's symbolic.

n Tuesday, New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon made a request that seemed trivial and audacious. For an upcoming Democratic primary debate with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, she wanted the thermostat set to 76 degrees.

It was the kind of news nubbin that seemed ripe for mocking, for cheeky Mars/Venus comparisons. Nationwide, women enrobed in work Snuggies emailed each other, amazed that Nixon just went for it like that — bypassing a compromise temperature of 72 or 73 and asking for a full-on heat blast.

Nixon was brazenly asking the world to reckon with a fact well-known but rarely addressed — that the standard business-world thermostat setting is polar for a lot of women. But this reminded me, somehow, of a complaint from a male friend: He can’t get his kids’ school to add him on their email list. Despite repeated requests, they send everything only to his ex-wife, though the two share custody. When he does manage to get his hands on an errant notice, he says, it’s addressed to “Moms.”

Moms, in this school’s view, are the default parents. Men, in this country’s view, are the default temperature-setters.

I haven't really noticed it that much across gender lines; some people are always too hot or too cold. But apparently, there is a science behind this:

In Nixon’s thermostat request, her campaign manager referred to workspaces as “notoriously sexist when it comes to room temperatures.” There’s some data behind this. A 2015 study in the journal Nature Climate Change analyzed office thermostats and determined they were widely set via a formula using men’s metabolic rates, not women’s.

I didn't realize they even had a "formula" to setting the thermostat.

 

[Quintessence]

... what? Someone seriously believes this is a thing?

Pardon, I need several moments to get over the bewilderment.

 

[Stevicus]

... what? Someone seriously believes this is a thing?

Pardon, I need several moments to get over the bewilderment.

I was rather bewildered about the whole "manspreading" controversy a while back, but this is a new one for me.

 

[SomeRandom]

Wow this is beyond first world problems. I mean I literally work in cold rooms (as in walk in fridges) at my job, even have to wander into a literal walk in freezer and if we're cold, we just chuck a jumper on. Like Christ, even the kids at my work would tell this commentator to grow up.

Also I kind of assumed "gubernational" was a silly meme kind of name. So at first I thought the post was just trolling lol. Didn't know that's a thing, my bad.

 

[Sanzbir]

If this is true, then the AC temperature should always be set by the men.

My thinking is this: In my workplace men cannot wear shorts. Women can wear sweaters. I understand this is fairly standard in most dress codes.

Since women can adapt their wardrobe for colder temperatures without being penalized by their employers, but men cannot adapt their wardrobe for warmer temperatures without penalty, then logically the temperature should be set colder, so that both genders can be comfortable.

Alternately, alter dress codes to allow men to wear less.

 

[viole]

Cynthia Nixon asked to adjust the AC. It isn't silly — it's symbolic.



I haven't really noticed it that much across gender lines; some people are always too hot or too cold. But apparently, there is a science behind this:



I didn't realize they even had a "formula" to setting the thermostat.

I am a woman and I always turn the temperature in the office and car way down to the minimum.

So, I don’t see the point of invoking sexism if rooms are cold.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Stanyon]

Yet another excuse, one can always do some jumping jacks.

Spoiler

 

[LuisDantas]

In my personal experience, women have a very noticeable tendency to feel bothered by cold when men do not. It is often an issue with air conditioned rooms.

 

[Stevicus]

Alternately, alter dress codes to allow men to wear less.

I've found that when I've had to wear a suit and tie, it was always too hot.

 

[Polymath257]

Cynthia Nixon asked to adjust the AC. It isn't silly — it's symbolic.



I haven't really noticed it that much across gender lines; some people are always too hot or too cold. But apparently, there is a science behind this:



I didn't realize they even had a "formula" to setting the thermostat.

Wait until she hits menopause. Hot flashes tend to reverse this.

 

[fantome profane]

My thinking is this: In my workplace men cannot wear shorts. Women can wear sweaters. I understand this is fairly standard in most dress codes.

That is what needs to change. Let the men come to work is shorts, even a nice skirt if they want.

And set the A.C at a reasonable setting. Better for the environment that way.

 

[exchemist]

What is for sure is that US practice is to overcool indoor public spaces. Probably this is because so many Americans nowadays are so fat. The practice is wasteful of energy and adds to atmospheric CO2. The human body in good health can perform perfectly well at temperatures up to 25C or so. Setting the AC at 20 or lower is unnecessary and if you are in a draught from one of the vents it may feel far lower.

My sympathies are entirely with the women here.

 

[Sanzbir]

I've found that when I've had to wear a suit and tie, it was always too hot.

It's almost always too hot for me as well, but even when full suit is not required. But then I think that's more of a result of my Latvian heritage, since it was the same for my great-grandmother.

All this talk of raising the temperature of the AC is just a thinly-veiled attempt of Latvian genocide, obviously. Next ice age when??

 

[Revoltingest]

Here’s what most landlords do.....
Set temps to minimize both expense and tenant complaints (male and female).

 

[Subduction Zone]

Here’s what most landlords do.....
Set temps to minimize both expense and tenant complaints (male and female).

Except that raises expense during the summer months. I would think that they would have a higher air conditioned temperature than heating temperature if they wanted to save money.

As to the OP it is a tough call. Could the female candidate simply wear more clothing? The suit and tie is almost de riguere for a male candidate. Is it reasonable to ask him to get extremely hot under the base temperature plus the heat of the lights? In a case like this 72 appears to be reasonable.

 

[Frog]

Excessive heat can damage the sperm in ones scrotum reducing sperm count.

 

[Polymath257]

Excessive heat can damage the sperm in ones scrotum reducing sperm count.

So, it's a benefit!

 

[Rational Agnostic]

What is for sure is that US practice is to overcool indoor public spaces. Probably this is because so many Americans nowadays are so fat. The practice is wasteful of energy and adds to atmospheric CO2. The human body in good health can perform perfectly well at temperatures up to 25C or so. Setting the AC at 20 or lower is unnecessary and if you are in a draught from one of the vents it may feel far lower.

My sympathies are entirely with the women here.

True, but what about during winter? In this case, it's wasteful to keep rooms too warm. Where I live, heaters are in use much more than air conditioners. Of course, being from London, you don't even know what winter actually is.

 

[exchemist]

Excessive heat can damage the sperm in ones scrotum reducing sperm count.

As is shown by the lamentably low birth rates in tropical countries, right?

 

[exchemist]

True, but what about during winter? In this case, it's wasteful to keep rooms too warm. Where I live, heaters are in use much more than air conditioners. Of course, being from London, you don't even know what winter actually is.

True enough. 18-20C is good enough in winter. But this is off-topic.