Discussion Thread: Misogyny at Work

[Content Note: Misogyny; workplace harassment.]

I have been getting a lot of pushback on Twitter (I know—you're so shocked!) regarding my post about Dr. Matt Taylor's inappropriate shirt. As always, one of the most common refrains is, "Not all women object to it!" or "I know a woman who doesn't find it offensive!" or some variation thereof.

While acknowledging there are definitely some woman who just don't think it's a problem (whoops), one of the observations I made on Twitter is that there are lots of women who will defend shit like that shirt just to avoid being harassed like those of us criticizing it are. There are an awful lot of rewards for being the "cool chick" who isn't "overly sensitive" like those other angry bitches, and playing the Exceptional Woman is itself an effect of sexism in the workplace. Feeling obliged to "okay" men's sexism can be a self-protection mechanism.

And, you know, many of us have been there and played that role, because it was just fucking easier.

And this is why many of us now advocate so vociferously against even the little (ahem) incidents of misogyny in professional environments—because we intimately understand how a preponderance of them conspires to coerce (some) women into feeling unable to safely address misogyny in their workplaces.

So, here's a thread to talk about that. What "little things" have happened in your workplace that create a hostile environment and make you feel like you either have to play the "cool chick" who never gets offended, or obliges your silence, because criticism turns you into a target?