By AMINA RANA
September 22, 2017
“If you’re a woman who hopes to hold any job at some point in your life, there is a good chance you’ll be assaulted.”
If you’re a woman who hopes to hold any job at some point in your life, there is a good chance you’ll be assaulted.
Care to delve into a world of science? 64% of women scientists say they have faced some sort of sexual harassment or assault. That is about 6 in every 10 women.
How about the tech field? 60% say they have faced sexual harassment in some way shape or form.
So science, tech, business all look bleak. How about making your parents proud and becoming a doctor? About one-third of female doctors (not including nurses or other medical staff) report having experienced sexual harassment. The actual number may be higher, however, as many incidents unfortunately go unreported.
The news industry? Journalism? Yeah, so long as Fox News isn’t part of your plan.
In fact, Fox News takes the cake as a particularly predatory environment for women. Just two days ago, Eric Bolling was suspended and “amicably” let go from the Fox News Network after now substantiated allegations of sending lewd photos to at least three female colleagues.
Sexual harassment has become a transaction among those on the higher end of the socioeconomic stratosphere.
This comes after at least five women spoke out against now disgraced Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly’s sexual advances just last year. For years, $13 million were circulated among these women in a cowardly attempt to keep his sexual advances buried.
This story should be particularly concerning since two widely known figures in journalism and media blatantly violated the sovereignty of these women’s bodies, only to silence them through money. O’Reilly did this for years, protecting his name while spending his spare time imposing himself on other women.
Sexual harassment has become a transaction among those on the higher end of the socioeconomic stratosphere.
It often goes like this: A prominent figure, may it be Hollywood or the media industry, makes a “mistake” and proceeds to pay out victims (usually a woman) to prevent the tarnishing of one’s name. And it works.
Bill O’Reilly wasn’t caught until years later. Roger Ailes, CEO of the Fox News Network, was also persistent in pursuing Fox and Friends host Gretchen Carlson for a number of years.
We live in an age where the theme of degrading women, in a multitude of ways, is far too common.
Critics will argue that women ought to speak up when it happens, and refuse money being thrown their way. However, this argument assumes women have nothing to lose. Indeed, many of these women are being pursued by none other than their bosses, or someone else who hold the future of their careers.
Countless bosses, including the disgraced beings of Fox News, have threatened their victims with professional repercussions.
We live in an age where the theme of degrading women, in a multitude of ways, is far too common. This stems from a generally held view that women are different and more importantly, inferior, and therefore do not belong on the highest rung of the ladder. There is an unjust assumption that women do not have the ability to hold powerful positions, in large part because of their domestic duties. It is from this line of thought, that women are generally valued less at the workplace.
Because of these sexist beliefs, women are far less likely to earn a promotion, and their job applications weigh less than their male counterparts.
Upon absorption of these realities, one would assume that perhaps working harder would at least alleviate a working woman’s predicament. Interestingly enough, a woman competently working can also be seen as “aggressive”. This negatively impacts their standing. At the same time, men who play the same part are regarded as “worthy” and more likely to receive a promotion.
On a lighter note, steps have been taken to mitigate the problem. The United Nations has launched several initiatives, endorsed by influential figures like Anne Hathaway and Emma Watson, both of whom have championed gender equality movements.
But if the world truly wishes to unleash the evils of not just gender inequality, but institutional sexism, there needs be a parallel institutional approach to ending such heinous discriminations.
Unless, of course, it all comes with the job description of womanhood.
If our president can treat women the way he notoriously has, what’s stopping anyone else?
