The Goose and the Gander

It’s one thing to be caught with your pants down, but it’s something else entirely to lose your dignity and your job from unsubstantiated allegations of what may have happened 40 years ago. I doubt that I know any woman who has never been harassed in the workplace, but don’t just limit that to women: probably as many men have also been the recipient of harassment but learn how to "take it like a man." If the charges against anyone are so egregious that it’s going to cost an alleged perpetrator their life’s work, the alleged harasser should at least have to be proven guilty in a court of law, not be persecuted by the court of public opinion.

Billy Bush was horrendously unfairly treated when he interviewed Donald Trump and caught not just his confession, but his cock-of-the-walk bragging about how poorly he’s treated women in his workplace. Billy Bush lost his job for doing his job, while Donald Trump went on to become our nation’s President. If anyone should have been excoriated by the press and the court of public opinion, it was Trump – not Bush.

Don’t get me wrong: no one should be harassed or subjected to unfair treatment in the workplace. It should be reported immediately and handled firmly by the personnel office of the business or organization wherein the encounter occurs. When I have been subjected to harassment, I’ve stood up to the person harassing me – and reported the incident to my supervisor. I have also confronted the harasser on the spot, letting him/her know that I would not tolerate their abuse. Usually, that’s enough to put the harasser on notice that the behaviors are inappropriate and illegal and will not be tolerated.

And if reporting it isn't enough, then take whatever action is necessary to stop the harassment, beginning with a consultation with a lawyer who accompanies you to your supervisor to discuss the allegations and explain what needs to be done with the perpetrator of the actions.

I am vehemently opposed to what’s been going on in the media, with allegations from as far back as the 1970s costing people their jobs without a hearing in a court of law to determine if the allegations are substantiated. If I were one of the many men being accused by “nameless” victims of my alleged abuse, I’d become very proactive in seeking redress in a court of law. If the allegations cannot be substantiated, the person who makes the allegations should be held accountable for falsely reporting the events—and lose their good name, employment, benefits, and retirement funds.

As my mother always said, what's sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander.