Ask Slashdot: Preempting Sexual Harassment In the Workplace?

zwei2stein writes "My team of about 10 men (IT guys) is expecting a new colleague: a female one. It is guaranteed that there will be remarks, double entendres and innuendos with huge potential of getting worse. We already have women in teams who can somehow handle this (and deliver apropriate verbal slaps). How would you deal with this? We talked about some simple, fun ways — anyone who [acts inappropriately] will have to wear an embarassing tie, etc. — instead of swear jar, having a sexual innuendo jar and even fairly harsh punishments (like people losing their bonuses for the month or their extra vaccation days). I'd like to figure out a solution that would be effective, not call much attention to itself, and not be quickly abandoned." What has your workplace done to create a good culture on this front? And what hasn't worked?

Comments

It's called "Get A Grip!"

[Tastecicles]

It's what normal, mature human beings do - they handle the situation themselves instead of crying fucking mental rape.

Re:It's called "Get A Grip!"

[Tastecicles]

bring it on, sailor - I'll bet you love a bear hole round your tool

Re:It's called "Get A Grip!"

[Gordonjcp]

Oh, the poor wee flower, how awful for him!

Didn't he think to say something at the time? No? Well maybe he needs to take a long hard look at himself. The world isn't run for his benefit.

Re:It's called "Get A Grip!"

[bky1701]

"I'm sorry but women need to choose one and only one option: be protected like a child or some kind of delicate little flower, or be treated as an equal and expected to tolerate anything a man is expected to deal with. They are mutually exclusive by their very nature."

The problem with modern feminism is it doesn't want it both ways, it wants it whichever way suits the situation better. That way you never have to take responsibility. Feel you have been "harassed" by people saying the same things they had been before you were there? Sue! They violated your rights somehow. Didn't get hired because they felt this might occur? Sue for discrimination!

It's essentially an intentional double standard, and this doesn't apply only to feminism, but it does apply to it more than most other cases. There is a movement to the effect that women should not have to be offended, yet at the same time should be treated equally, while that right to not be offended is never conveyed to the other gender. It's not about equality: it's about abusing the perception of inequality to gain an unwarranted standing.

Personally? I think everyone should be expected to deal with the situations they're entering. If you willingly and knowingly take a job in a group of somewhat juvenile programmers, and let's face it many are, you should not reasonably expect them to bend to your will. Ignoring law and "professionalism" for a moment, that's just not a realistic expectation in any situation, and for good reason. There should be a line, but not at "innuendo offends me, this is sexual harassment!" which is where most posts here and most of society wants to draw it - for women, of course.

It of course goes without saying that the real sexual harassment often goes unaddressed while everyone wrings their hands over political correctness, what constitutes "professionalism," and how to comply with flawed legal systems.

Re:Hire a trainer

[Tastecicles]

Mod parent UP!