Men at Work Wonder if They Overstepped With Women, Too
- 7 years ago
Men at Work Wonder if They Overstepped With Women, Too
SAN FRANCISCO — It has been a confusing season for America’s working men, as the conversation around workplace harassment reveals it to be a nationwide epidemic —
and many men wonder if they were involved or ignored the signs.
You start to wonder.”
Across white-collar workplaces, rank-and-file men are awakening to the prevalence of sexual harassment
and assault after high-profile cases including those of Harvey Weinstein, Mark Halperin and Louis C. K.
Those cases helped inspire the #MeToo campaign, in which thousands of women have posted about their own harassment experiences on social media.
“What we’re seeing now is men are backing away from the role
that we try to encourage them to play, which is actively mentoring and sponsoring women in the workplace,” said Al Harris, who has been running workplace equality programs and writing on the topic from Chicago with his partner, Andie Kramer, for many years.
Now many men who like to think they treat women as equals in the workplace are starting to look back at their own behavior
and are wondering if they, too, have overstepped at work — in overt or subtle ways that would get them included in a #MeToo post.
“But has anything I’ve done been interpreted another way?”
In response, some men are forming all-male text groups at companies or in their industries to brainstorm on harassment issues.
“Cancel the holiday party,” said Mr. Cunningham, 37, adding that he means just until it has been figured out how men and women should interact.
SAN FRANCISCO — It has been a confusing season for America’s working men, as the conversation around workplace harassment reveals it to be a nationwide epidemic —
and many men wonder if they were involved or ignored the signs.
You start to wonder.”
Across white-collar workplaces, rank-and-file men are awakening to the prevalence of sexual harassment
and assault after high-profile cases including those of Harvey Weinstein, Mark Halperin and Louis C. K.
Those cases helped inspire the #MeToo campaign, in which thousands of women have posted about their own harassment experiences on social media.
“What we’re seeing now is men are backing away from the role
that we try to encourage them to play, which is actively mentoring and sponsoring women in the workplace,” said Al Harris, who has been running workplace equality programs and writing on the topic from Chicago with his partner, Andie Kramer, for many years.
Now many men who like to think they treat women as equals in the workplace are starting to look back at their own behavior
and are wondering if they, too, have overstepped at work — in overt or subtle ways that would get them included in a #MeToo post.
“But has anything I’ve done been interpreted another way?”
In response, some men are forming all-male text groups at companies or in their industries to brainstorm on harassment issues.
“Cancel the holiday party,” said Mr. Cunningham, 37, adding that he means just until it has been figured out how men and women should interact.