SUBTEXTGood Housekeeping points out that, legally, there are two kinds
of sexual harassment: "Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of
a sexual nature used as an outright or implied basis of one's
employment or advancement," and "A hostile or intimidating work
environment created by sexual jokes, teasing or comments, or
even the presence of suggestive posters."
Behind the teasing, the suggestions, the posters, there is the
subtext that says "Women do not belong here, or if they do,
they are to be used by men."
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN
It seems, from everything written about sexual harassment, that
it is a one-way street—that women are harassed by men, but
men are never harassed by women. In general, because of the
way our society is set up, this is true. Sexual harassment of men
does occur, but very rarely and only in extreme circumstances.
Kenneth is a young accountant working in a real estate office
in a large city. He handles the computer setup and the accounting
details, and he recently decided against filing a sexual harassment
suit only because he felt it would make him an object of derision.
"I'm the only man in an office of twenty women, and believe
me, it's no bed of roses! I thought, when I first took the job, that
I'd like working with a group of women. But I have to tell you,
they come on to me all the time. It may be teasing, and if I
complain, they pass it off as that. What's wrong with a little
harmless flirtation?
"Well, I'm a married man, and I don't think it's harmless.
They'll come up to my desk, lean over my shoulder, sometimes
even breathe in my ear. They may think they're kidding, but I
get a very raunchy message from them, and I don't like it! It