What ever the circumstances, I doubt that it was as hostile as a Viet Nam rice patty. Too bad that Viet Nam vets aren't entitled to that kind of compensation. But of course, that's different because they are men, and this office veteran of the harassment wars is a woman. And when push comes to shove, it's women and children first.
Since the Anita Hill crucifixion of Clarence Thomas, charges of sexual harassment and hostile work environment have become the trump card for an entire generation of women. They can choose to "put up" with "harassment" for years, and then, when they can make the most of it, claim injury.
This issue has become another example of the double standard that often favors women. When a woman makes a charge of sexual harassment, she becomes a cause. She's backed up by government and quasi government agencies that can take her story, combine it with "hear say," and come up with the "facts." When a man makes such a charge, he risks being fired. When a woman makes a claim, the federal government helps. When a man makes a claim, he's lucky to keep his job.
I spoke with a man who filed a sexual harassment suit. As in most such cases, he was fired. But he had done his homework and the company made a mistake. He fought back and won. Here is his story.
George McFarland (not his real name) was a former Seattleite who worked for a number of years in New York city. When he returned to Seattle in 1989 he got a job in an advertising agency as an account executive. It required a lot of interaction with other staff members, and he enjoyed his new job.
There were about 50 employees, and most of them got along together. The first two years on the job seemed to fly by, and he was looking toward a promotion. George expected to remain with this company for some time.
But during his third year, conditions changed. Under pressure from feminists, the company hired a number of women and placed them in strategic positions. The change was immediately noticeable. What was once a place where one could freely talk and interact became cold and less than pleasant.
It was small things at first. Like gatherings of women disbanding when approached by a man. Rude comments from some women about the men. One of the newly hired female interns even began to compile a list of anything that she thought was sexist, keeping track of any issue that she felt was gender related. Other females would get together for male bashing sessions. When approached about this, they dismissed it as just "girl talk."
Morale was on the down slide. Employee turnover was increasing, and stress levels were at an all time high. Finally one of the female employees filed a sexual harassment suit against one of the male employees. The environment went from bad to worse. The accused male worker was demoted, given sensitivity training, and had his pay lowered. It was no longer a pleasant place to be.
George's personal work environment got worse, too. His office was on a floor where all of the other employees were women, and they abused him. In self defense, he began to keep notes on their behavior.
Finally, George had enough. He drafted a letter to his boss charging one of the women with sexual harassment. He detailed the specifics and demanded that something be done. Three week later he was fired.
Luckily, not only had George documented everything, but his company had given him a document that clearly stated he was fired for making the charge of sexual harassment. George went to an attorney and threatened to sue. Realizing its position, the company agreed to pay George 6 months pay and grant a number of other benefits. He dropped the suit.
George's story is not a victory for men, but it is an example of the double standard that awards $7,000,000 to a woman and 6 months pay to a man. An example of how the legal system has been corrupted by feminists. And most important, it is an example of how feminist whining and "logic" has created a hostile environment for all.
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