In a patriarchal society, women are taught self doubt, silence, to put up with shit. To assume that they will be able to say no to 1st sexual overture by a colleague/senior at work is unfair. Some cant afford to quit the job. (1/n) #Metoo
They put up with stalking, unwanted attention, nasty sexist behaviour for years on end knowing that not many will believe them when they complain. It is not a level playing field. Wish it was but apart from work hierarchies, there r gender hierarchies to conquer too. #MeToo (2/n)
To dismiss the trauma they put up with, sometimes months, yrs, decades till they find the courage to call it out as just as bad behaviour on part of men is a travesty. The harassment they face is sexual in nature. So we will have to call it sexual harassment. #Metoo (3/n)
Male entitlement to act in a way is not lack of etiquette. It is rooted in patriarchy. To put onus on women to 'deal with it' instead of calling out the sexism, misogyny and patriarchy that allows this harassment at work to thrive is supporting a culture of silence. #MeToo (4/n)
Women who rebel within their families to have a career, financial independence, ones from smaller towns, ones who dont have culture capital, class, caste privilege, dont have the cushion to outrightly confront the harassers at work even if they are not seniors. #Metoo (5/n)
Fear of losing job, stigma of being an uncool, puritanical 'trouble maker', all of them create the perfect ground for men-despite their hierarchy at work-to continue making a history as sexual harassers. They are not creeps. They are history sheeters. #Metoo (6/n)
The first step towards fixing a problem is to acknowledge it. If the trauma inflicted has roots in patriarchy, male entitlement, abuse of power based on gender, sexism, misogyny, it is sexual harassment. And it will have to be called that. #Metoo (7/7)
Add to avoid subjective opinion, back to the law for workplace which defines 'sexual harassment' as:
iitbbs.ac.in/notice/sexual-…
iitbbs.ac.in/notice/sexual-…
This too. For more clarity on what #SexualHarassment is.
