Rather, companies must fire or force out shameless misogynists. The mortgage industry must weed out the bad apples from their ranks, not merely allow them to shift around as we saw with Casa leaving AIME only to open up his own shop. After all, homebuyers and those looking to refinance have a right to know who they are working with at UMortgage.
Finally, female employees must have more accessible opportunities to advance their careers. HousingWire recently showcased the “growing surge of support for women in the industry,” highlighting the accomplishments of women who have risen to leadership and are blazing a new trail. Their success should be recognized and celebrated so that a larger share of the next cohort of female mortgage professionals can aspire to do the same.
There exists a common inclination to downplay the severity of sexism in the business world and to disparage those who reject the status-quo as politically correct authoritarians. However, there is a profound difference between normal gender dynamics and open hostility towards women. Addressing misogyny not only benefits women but also makes companies more productive and successful in their entirety. Even if it didn’t, ‘workplace culture’ would never be a legitimate excuse for behavior that materially disadvantages and intimidates female employees.
To promote greater inclusivity from the mailroom to the boardroom, lenders must be overt in their support for women, create opportunities for their career advancement, and promptly identify and discard their own Anthony Casas. Further, lenders and brokerages should be transparent about who consumers are entrusting their most significant life purchase with. The mortgage industry as a whole will be better for it.
Courtney Mattison is director of operations for Taxpayers Protection Alliance, a non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.