Sexual Harassment (was Re: Oppressing the overdog)

[Ebony]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Julie (a.k.a. Viola)" <viola_1895 at y...> 
wrote:

Julie wrote:

> In my career, I've been accused of using my looks to get ahead more 
> times than I can count. One boss took too much "professional" 
interest 
> in both me and a co-worker of mine - who was also blonde and 
> twenty-ish. When I finally got a female superior, she happened to 
be a 
> lesbian. All the "boys" called me her "lipstick." Nice. And, 
recently, 
> I was thoroughly appalled to discover my former colleagues 
spreading 
> the rumor that I was shagging my newest boss. 
> 


Wow, Jules... you know, I've been in the post-college work world for 
what, three years?... and I've had to face sexual harassment on each 
job I've been on.

The first was during my student teaching and first temporary 
placement.  I tried to ignore it, but because the only place for me 
to eat my lunch in the building was the teacher's lounge (a very 
remote place) I told my supervisor the third (and scariest!) time he 
cornered me up.  I was believed.

After student teaching, I taught there for a summer and STILL was not 
hired.  Supervisor's aside--"the principal thinks you're too much of 
a distraction."

Next school.  I was promoted fast... after a year, I was in 
administration.  There was a great deal of resentment towards the 
twenty-three year old sister with coiffed hair and pressed suits and 
hose and heels having authority over faculty twice her age who 
favored the "You Better Be Glad I'm Here" look of t-shirts, jeans, 
and sneakers and were suffering from acute Twenty Year Burnout 
Syndrome.  I was not only called the Black Barbie Doll, but also 
the "golden girl", "Miss Priss", and some other names that were 
completely unflattering and really must be censored.  The AP also 
loved to flirt with me (or *at* me, because I am stupid when it comes 
to flirting), and I guess this caused even more resentment amongst 
some of the other teachers.  I grinned and bore it... but the stress 
knocked me off my feet.  I *had* to get out of there.

Too soon to tell about this job... it's only my second week.  
However, I had a red flag experience towards the end of the last week 
that made me go, "d--n, not THIS again" with one of my *new* APs. 

I don't think sexual harassment and/or stereotyping has much to do 
with beauty... as twentysomething black girls go, I'm pretty darn 
average.  It does have everything to do with power struggles IMO.

--Ebony AKA AngieJ