Recognizing Different Forms of Harassment in the Workplace

Stopping Sexual Harassment: Recognizing Different Forms of Harassment in the Workplace, with Gretchen Carlson, Journalist and Advocate, Author, Be Fierce

So the problem with sexual harassment is that in many cases, it’s subjective. There’s something called a hostile work environment, and then there’s something called quid pro quo. These are the two ways sexual harassment can happen to somebody in the workplace.

Quid pro quo is a lot easier to understand, and it’s not subjective. It’s hey, if you don’t have sex with me, I’m going to fire you. Or hey, if you don’t go to a hotel room with me, I’m not going to give you the promotion. Pretty cut and dry, not subjective, harassment. The hostile work environment is tougher or can be tougher to assess because what I think is a horrible joke that’s said in the workplace may not be the same reaction for one of my colleagues. Another female colleague might not be offended by it.

This is why I think it’s been problematic to really get to the heart of the sexual harassment issue because it’s not the same for every person, and it’s really dependent on how each individual feels about the environment.

Now, trust me, there are plenty of environments out there in corporate America that are hostile by everyone’s account. And, in fact, I would have to say that the majority of stories that I’ve heard from thousands of women across our country are not gray. The stories are so outrageous that you can’t believe they’re still happening in the 21st century. For example, just last year, a woman asked for a promotion and her boss told her to get up on the desk and spread ‘em. That was 2017, and that’s the majority of the stories that I’ve heard.

But in some cases, they are more subjective. I would just say this though: Women are not filing lawsuits in this country for sexual harassment because a male colleague says something like, I like your blue dress, or that haircut really flatters you.

So the idea that we’re allowing this to go on in businesses all across America, that I think is what’s been so upsetting and disappointing to me, is that it’s not those gray-area things that are really happening, it’s still the outrageous behavior. And that’s why it’s sort of a cop out to say, oh, is this movement almost over now? I get that question all the time. Are we done now with the Me Too movement? And I usually think to myself, no, we’re kind of just getting started.