My friend Cordelia Fine had a terrific piece in the SMH and Age yesterday Feel sorry for Kiely, but pity more his female colleagues in which she makes the case that sexualised images in the workplace undermine women.
Even as psychologists learn more about how gender stereotypes adversely affect women trying to gain ground in male domains, material that primes those very stereotypes and attitudes becomes more common. Pornography is increasing in work settings, according to the Fawcett Society in Britain. And pornography in the workplace, however mild, serves as a signal to women that they are in male space…
The drip, drip, drip effect of male workers viewing porn is the creation of an environment that is hostile and degrading to women – and this is in violation of the Sex Discrimination Act, as human rights lawyer Professor Aileen McColgan pointed out in the Fawcett Society’s recent Corporate Sexism report. But when public responses to transgressions are casual and forgiving, women may be reluctant to complain about their male colleagues’ use of pornography, for fear of seeming prudish. >more
2 Responses
Thank you Cordelia for championing this stifling issue for us women in the workplace!
Oooh, I am so glad to have found your blog and the link to this article. When I read this in The Age, I shouted hallelujah! The amount of publicity surrounding the situation that was saying “feel sorry for him” “poor bloke” “it’s normal workplace behaviour” etc made me sick! It honestly made me start questioning some of my feminist beliefs and I started to feel very defeated. This article really renewed my faith that it’s NOT bl**dy ok no matter how many men (and women) believe this to be normal, acceptable workplace behavour!