I was shocked and appalled when I read the opinion piece, “People need to grow up” in Monday’s Lantern. After stating that guys need to wear sunglasses to work to avoid being slapped with a sexual harassment suit, the author asks if he is the only one that sees how women are dressing today. He then says how a woman’s compulsive dieting and continual quest to look good should justify him telling her that she looks good.
Why is sexual violence – like harassment or rape- the only crime for which the victim is blamed? We do not tell a person who had their car stolen that he provoked it by buying a nice car. We do not blame a man that gets mugged. We do not ask, “Why wear such nice things?” He is not told that he should know if he wears nice things- and makes it look like he owns expensive items – that a thief may make him a target.
Blaming the victim puts the responsibility of the crime on the woman, when it was the man who committed it. This is entirely unfair. A woman may dress to look nice, but she never puts on an outfit to get harassed or raped.
The statement in the article was offensive not only to women, but also to men. It implies that all men are ruled by their penises and cannot control themselves around a woman they think is attractive. A penis does not control a man’s thoughts and actions. Men have brains and can control themselves. It is when they choose not to use their brains that problem occurs.
The article ignores the fact that sexual harassment happens to a wide range of women, including those who do not dress sexy. Sexual violence is most often a crime of power, where a man thinks he has the right- or is entitled to- a woman. Or he is trying to intimidate her.
The article also trivializes sexual harassment, making it seem that it does not exist, or that most suits are false. While some suits may be overblown incidents, a majority of them are justified. There are also many incidents of sexual harassment that never even get reported. Sexual harassment is a huge problem which should not be blamed on women. The men participating in it need to take responsibility for their own actions. Women and men have the right to feel comfortable and free while at work.
The article goes on to say that when someone does not get a job, they blame it on the decision maker’s racism or sexism, which the author thinks is always unjustified. When racism and sexism are still rampant in our society, are some people so naïve that they actually believe that discrimination does not exist? I am not saying that every time a minority does not get hired, it is a result of discrimination, but it is definitely the case in some incidences. Discrimination should not be dismissed or made fun of because this trivializes the reality that many of us have to deal with everyday.
The only statement I agreed with in the article is that people should speak up for what they believe in, but I have one stipulation: People should know about what they are speaking. If someone does not have this knowledge through first hand experience, they should read, talk, and observe others. This will prevent one from speaking out in ignorance or on the basis of stereotypes.
Laura HunterSenior in criminology and sociology
