The CBS news website released an article about 2 years ago dealing with the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. I found what was written had left me flabbergasted.
In this article the author Penelope Trunk states and elaborates on 4 points as to why women should NOT report sexual harassment. This articles first point states that the laws governing sexual harassment in the US don't work. It suggest that if you are to report sexual harassment and take it to court chances are you'll lose the case and your job. If this just so happens to be the case why shouldn't fight to create better laws? We live in a society that once didn't allow women to vote, if that can change why not these laws? The point that terrifies me the most is the last one, it implies that harassment is the norm and should be leveraged.The idea that women should just be complacent is quite obvious and enforced in this point, as though we don't live in a democracy. This just proves that further more steps need to be taken before both men and women are equal.
As you would probably be able to guess this article has received backlash, recently on the website Tumblr.com.
The comments are harsh and definitely opinionated, I apologize for the course language. This goes to show just how many people have felt anger towards this article. I would be interested in hearing whether you agreed this article or not. Do you feel it's message is justified? If not what are your opinions on this article?
I don't know if Penelope Trunk wrote this article to stir up some type of buzz for herself but as a male and a human being I find this article completely unjustified. What this article is pretty much saying is that women just deal with sexual harassment. Sexual harassment and abuse are closely linked to each other and if people actually listen to what Penelope Trunk is saying the problem could easily escalate and become repetitive. She goes on to say "smart women don't file formal complaints against ordinary harassment", in my opinion smart women do use preventive measures against issues like this and they try not to make it happen again.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of mentality is completely disturbing and I'm very disgusted with the blatant disrespect shown in this article towards women.In this day and age I believe that instead of women being told to keep quite about harassment they've endured maybe men should be taught to keep their hands to themselves. Some of the points the writer made were unbelievable including that women must accept sexual harassment to get further in the work place.Many of the women that I know have worked hard to get to where they are instead of flirting with or engaging in sexual activity with their bosses. I am in disbelief that this is an excuse for men to harass women.Stating that men don't know when they are harassing women is completely ridiculous.Everyone knows when their attention is either negatively received and unwanted. I am very shocked that this article was created by such an established company like CBS. Articles such as this further perpetuate rape culture and are not at all justifiable.In this day and age I would like to believe that women and men are equals and woman should have the human right of having control over their body. This sentiment being expressed by a woman is extremely sad and makes me wonder how many other people feel this way about such an important issue.
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with your point on these men learning to respect women, and keep their hands at bay. And sadly many women with high positions in the work place do tolerate this behavior from their bosses for fear of losing a great job. This is what truly concerns me, and so as you suggested I believe these men shouldn't be excused for their behavior.
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ReplyDeleteI am completely outraged ! I do not find this justifiable at all, since I don't think this type of mentally should exist between people. That just says that women should endure whatever happens to them because they might lose their job. Like you stated stated, there is a reason why in a democratic state it is against the law to do that. The fact that the author a women is even more disturbing. This just enforces the idea that men are dominant compared to women, because getting away with sexual harassment is not normal in today's society.
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree with the fact that harassment is an unfortunate part to climbing the ladder! Through a feminists lens, this is very offensive, since it shows that women cannot even depend on the law to back up their rights. That just proves that no matter how far women think they have gotten in comparison to men, we are always one step behind. This article proves that as well. Not even as a woman, but as a human being, letting someone touch you against should not be legal.
To compare this text with outside sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/14/opinion/14kristof.html?_r=0 - This article talks about a women from Pakistan named Mukhtaran bibi, who was raped for her brother's mistakes by multiple men and instead of being supported by everyone, she was shamed in her society. There are countries like these, who accept and silence the crimes of men, which is unacceptable. Fortunately she fought for her rights and got the men arrested.
I am glad to hear that Mukhtaran was able to achieve her goal. In my opinion more women like Mukhtaran are needed in today's society, but the women today have to much to lose in their eyes.
DeleteThis is an extremely disgusting post that is totally unjustified! This woman's opinion on sexual harassment just goes to show how far we are as a society in reaching our goal of gender equality. Why should women have to keep quiet about being sexually harassed? We as human beings living in a democratic society have the right to feel safe and secured, especially in the work place. And to keep quiet because you might lose your job? What if a man was sexually harassed by a woman? I'm pretty sure he would not lose his job if he reported it. It's also sad to see that a lot of women today actually don't report this kind of abuse for fear of getting fired. What about your self respect? Just because you are a woman does not mean you should lay down and let men walk all over you! The struggle for women equality has been going on for decades, and this article is blatant evidence of our efforts moving one step forward, then two steps back.
ReplyDeleteThis is honestly disgusting. This is like saying "you can either accept harassment at our hands and keep quite or seek help, fail, be harassed one last time before getting fired" This article says that this is in U.S, therefore what is democracy if equality doesn't reach out to everyone. What is democracy if not every "person," as the U.S constitution states, isn't protected under the law. We all as "persons" have the right to feel secure in our work environment. We are not subjected to harassment and kept quite about it, if the laws, set in our constitution or any other legal document, do not protect women from harassment, democracy is just as useful as drinking soup with a knife. Sexual harassment takes away our right to dignity and arguing that "The bottom line for a woman, though, is that if you want to have a career of increasing power, you are going to have to keep quiet about the harassment" is pathetic because keeping quite about having been sexually harassed isn't going to "increase your power" more so, we are telling them "you know what, it's okay because I'm an object and you can do this to me any day and just like a doll without a voice, I'll keep quite". I am truly disgusted. This article is literally encouraging rape. This is shameful and this coming from a women is a disgrace to any female reading this.
ReplyDeleteFor a female to write an article about this topic actually surprised me. We come from a world where women are actually lesser than man. We still have places in the world where women do not have the right for education. For a female to think that women should not fight for basic freedom human rights, is mind-boggling. As mentioned prior to my comment women have fought for equality rights. As a state they need to be more strict on enforcing laws that permit sexual harassment acts. There is a long history of female fighting for their rights, and in 2014 we shouldn't be going back on the mindset of excepting the norms that men have set in society. Women should be fighting for their rights. When I was reading this blog post I was reminded on a scene from the mini series ROOTS, when a female was simply explaining that women are less than men and thats just the way society is. The way she said it was as if she has accepted the fact that that was the norm in society. In sum,basically what I am saying is that we as women, as feminist have come too far to go back on what our ancestors fought for. We need to continue the fight that they started. Its human rights for everyone there is not difference.
ReplyDeleteI'm a male and to see males telling females not to report it is disturbing to be very honest. a man should have some class and should not be raping women in the first place. it sickens me deeply to see this article, this is a ladies body which is very precious and should not be harassed by other men.
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