By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2006, 05:38

A former Hewlett-Packard CEO has described the obstacles she faced as a woman trying to climb the corporate ladder, after years of denying the existence of the glass ceiling.

Maureen Dowd reports on Carly Fiorina’s autobiography, which reveals how she insisted on attending business meetings held in strip clubs and faced years of back-biting and double standards.

\x93I was scared to death,\x94 she writes, adding that she wore her most conservative dress-for-success business suit and little bow tie, carried her briefcase like \x93a shield of honor,\x94 and repeated the mantra, \x93I am a professional woman,\x94 even when her cabdriver asked her if she was the new act for the club, where babes in see-through negligees danced on tables.

\x93In a show of empathy that brings tears to my eyes still,\x94 she recounts, \x93each woman who approached the table would look the situation over and say: \x91Sorry, gentlemen. Not till the lady leaves.\x92 \x94

\x93In the chat rooms around Silicon Valley, from the time I arrived until long after I left HP, I was routinely referred to as either a \x91bimbo\x92 or a \x91bitch,\x92 she writes. \x93Too soft or too hard, and presumptuous, besides.\x94 She adds: \x93I watched with interest as male C.E.O.\x92s fired people and were hailed as \x91decisive.\x92 I was labeled \x91vindictive.\x94