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How to Identify Workplace Sexual Harassment When You See It
Article

How to Identify Workplace Sexual Harassment When You See It

Lifehacker, 2017

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Editorial Rating

8

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  • Applicable

Recommendation

Thanks to the #MeToo movement, society is confronting workplace sexual harassment on a wide scale. While news reports focus on sexual assault and groping, more common forms of discrimination are harder to spot (and to prove). Where is the line that separates the illegal from the merely unpleasant? Leigh Anderson, writing for the weblog Lifehacker, has a few insights. She doesn’t make filing a suit (especially by yourself) seem like a particularly promising path, but has a strong message: “Trust yourself, and lobby for changes.” Don’t laugh off sexist comments or sacrifice a job or career to avoid a toxic environment. If you see harassment, call it. getAbstract recommends Anderson’s compassionate primer to anyone suspecting harassment in their workplace.

Summary

After the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal, society is holding many powerful perpetrators accountable for the first time. However, harassment doesn’t have to be physical. Many women still endure more subtle forms of harassment. It could be a sexist comment or the pornographic images your co-worker shows you. Many laugh off such behavior, pretend they don’t care so much or even start believing they are being overly sensitive – until it’s ruining their careers. Some women have fled their chosen careers ...

About the Author

Leigh Anderson is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She wrote The Games Bible: The Rules, the Gear, the Strategies.