Although, I haven't experienced specific gender experiences of any significance this week, I decided to discuss one that I had from a former place of employment. Due to the public nature of my position, I had always conducted myself with a high level of professionalism, including the way I dressed. I knew that I represented my employer's business, so I took my job very seriously.
There was an older "professional" man who already worked at a prominent and well-known company in town, who would come to where I worked to do some accounting-related tasks. He also happened to be on the Board of Directors, so he was under the assumption that he could do what he wanted to. Now, even though there were many offices with desks that he could have utilized, he would come into my office, sit down on the opposite side of my desk, and begin doing his paperwork. He never thought to ask me if it was okay. Apparently, my space was his space. I always felt uncomfortable because no matter how busy I was at the time, he would try and make small talk with me. Even though I was irritated by his disrespectful manner, I tried to be pleasant anyway.
As time went on this man continued with his routine, but he would take it a few steps further each time. As he talked to me, he would literally undress me with his eyes. He would look at me up and down and even pause at certain areas of my body for much longer than just a few seconds. I would try and ignore his behavior and not respond to it in anyway. In fact, I would just keep working so I wouldn't give him the satisfaction that I noticed his behavior. Then, he began to make actual comments to me such as, "You know, you really do make this place look good," or, "I can tell you've been working out....it really shows" As you can imagine, I felt enraged and violated by the unwelcome advances at a job that I took very seriously. I will end this part of the story here.
After reading through chapters in David Gauntlett's book, I understand Michael Foucault's point when right when he writes, "We may find "states of domination" where power relations have become so entrenched that they can seem entirely one-sided and unchangeable"(128) In a positive light, Foucault goes on to say that, "Such situations can be resisted and changed" (128).
When thinking about this experience from a gender identity point of view, I wonder what this says about how secure he was in his masculinity? Did the fact that he hailed from an older, male dominant generation fuel his behavior?
Colleen, what a perfect, if enraging, situation to deconstruct for our class. I could totally imagine the scenes as they unfolded and the step by step behavior that this man exhibited - I wonder where he thought the whole thing might go? Or was it just the fact that he COULD exert that kind of sexual and linguistic power over you was enough? I wonder what would have happened had you done something related to Foucault's statement: "Such situations can be resisted and changed". How might you have resisted? Clearly NOT resisting (unless you did later on in the story) communicated to him that his behavior was ok and he could take it a step further. (I've been in situations like this and am in NO WAY criticizing your silence). Silence, though, is a form of communication and often sends the message of acquiescence -- what else could it signal?
ReplyDeleteColleen, I would like to invite you to go back into this scenario and flesh it out some more -- find other quotes that help you explain his behavior and yours -- it is in the interaction that gender norms are socially constructed -- maybe write what you might have said to him if you could go back and show resistance -- how might have the interaction and, thus, social construction of gender changed? You could count this as a separate blog post. I hope you will take up the challenge.
As Dr. Crafton has already stated you did a great job explaining into detail the work environment and the situation that ass hole put you in. I know for a fact, you will not be the one and only woman to be harassed in a work place, but I hope you addressed this man’s behavior to higher authority. As you ask the question, “What might have fueled his behavior?” I would have to say his power and male dominance at the work place most likely drove his inappropriate behavior. WHAT A PIG!
ReplyDeleteI really like the question you asked at the end. I think a lot of men try to perform and show a dominate side to cover up their insecurities. It reminds me something I heard awhile back about men with big trucks are just trying to compensate for their short comings. Or people when who were kind of in the shadows and shy get power, they feel that with this new power they are more desirable. Its very interesting but also hard to pin point his exact reasons. He could just be a pervert and saw his dad treat women the same way. Whatever it is his actions are uncalled for and should be brought to light so things like this dont happen to others.
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