Dingell: I don't know a woman that doesn't have a sexual misconduct story

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 11/19/17 11:02 AM EST

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) on Sunday said she does not know a woman who does not have a story about facing sexual misconduct.

"There are women across the country - restaurant workers, tip waitresses, factory floors, law firms, corporations - so I don’t know a woman that doesn’t have a story Andrea, in all places all across the country," Dingell told Andrea Mitchell on NBC's "Meet the Press," during an interview alongside Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.).

"Let's really make this a watershed moment. That men and women across the country work together to look forward to changing the culture," Dingell continued.

Women across the country from Hollywood to Capitol Hill have come forward in recent weeks to accuse prominent men of sexual misconduct.



Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/361096-dingell-on-sexual-misconduct-i-dont-know-a-woman-that-doesnt-have

[Irish_Dem]

3. The watershed moment won't work if one group is exempt from all charges.

Right is right, wrong is wrong. Period.

[yallerdawg]

4. Let's toss out Franken because he's a Democrat...

and seat Roy Moore because he's a Republican, and the deplorables have shown us they couldn't care less.

We just need to do the right thing.

[LisaL]

5. I'd say. Apparently Moore collected a whole bunch of money for his campaign since the allegations

came out. So I presume the allegations only made him a more attractive candidate in some people's eyes.

[blimablam]

6. not true.....

[Kingofalldems]

7. .....

[kwassa]

28. I met Robin Williams ...

and never put a hand on him.

[Irish_Dem]

2. Well said.

"Let's really make this a watershed moment. That men and women across the country work together to look forward to changing the culture," Dingell continued.

And yes, most women have experienced some sort of sexual misconduct.

[PatSeg]

8. I honestly can't imagine

any woman NOT experiencing some sort of sexual misconduct. I suppose some might just consider it normal, much as we did decades ago.

[Irish_Dem]

9. I can't either.

Women are always concerned about their safety.
Where they live and work, traveling.
We just factor it into most activities with out even thinking.

My daughter lives on a college campus.
On Thursday afternoon the drinking starts (my daughter does not drink).
And the boys start whooping and hollering outside when they are drinking.
They probably mean no harm, but my daughter avoids those areas to be on the safe side.
Men probably don't even think about it.

[Tansy_Gold]

10. As you point out, it's not just the workplace

College campuses, city sidewalks, virtually all public spaces and many private spaces as well.

Imagine having to give up a friendship with another woman because her husband wouldn't quit hitting on you. Yeah. It's that bad.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes women are always paying attention to public and private spaces and safety.

Yes I know, the examples are endless.

I gave up a friendship because my friend's husband was verbally abusive to her and to me
when I visited. I tried to help her to no avail.

[PatSeg]

12. When I was 20

I worked in an all men wire room, the first female to do so at the time. I was pretty unworldly, so there was quite an adjustment. Many of the guys resented a woman in their midst, as they felt it would be inhibiting - no swearing, dirty jokes, or lewd comments. In order to be accepted, I was the one who had to adapt, as I didn't want them to resent my presence there.

For the most part it was a very positive experience and most of the guys were really good to me, like a father or older brother, but there were many times when I had to be on the defense and do it with a smile and witty retort. I learned the art of being a wise-cracking smart ass, something I ended up using a lot over the years. Women have to build their defensive walls from a very young age and those of my generation just accepted that was the way things were. It is a survival technique.

[Irish_Dem]

13. Exactly, we have to keep adapting to a male dominated environment.

Men simply have no idea what it is like.
Trying to keep surviving in all male environments.

Like women's bathrooms obviously designed by men.
Not enough room in the stalls, cannot turn around to get in.
And I am a small woman.

[PatSeg]

14. I had never thought about that

with bathrooms! I have noticed that a lot of homes clearly didn't have any female input. You look at things and say, "No woman would ever design that!"

Yes, most environments tend to be male dominated and women tend to adapt, as we are really good at that. My experiences working with mostly men for the most part were very positive and I made some great friends. There were always one or two guys who kept crossing the line. When no one stopped them, they took it as permission I suppose and their behavior often escalated. The fatherly, brotherly, friend-type guys didn't approve, but rarely interfered, kind of a guy type code I guess.

[Irish_Dem]

16. Kitchens the same way.

I cannot reach my cupboards beyond the first shelf.
The counters are too high for me.

Cars the same way. I always had to peer over the steering wheel and could not reach the pedals.
At least today the seats and steering wheel move.

Yes, you can certainly see the world has been designed for male inhabitants.
Even spaces used only by women or primarily by women.

And your work space should have included women to begin with, so it would not be
so male dominated.

[PatSeg]

17. I was especially thinking of the kitchen!

I'm short too, so I understand what you are saying.

You know, you'd think that even if there were no women involved in some of these designs, that some smart guy would ask his wife or girlfriend for suggestions. It is women who usually make the final decisions about buying a house, it wouldn't be too hard to consult with them. Real Estate brokers have known this for years.

[Irish_Dem]

18. I think it just does not occur to men to accommodate 50% of the population.

They see everything through a dominant male lens.

Public women's restrooms have never been female friendly.
Even small women cannot fit in the stalls.
And women washing their hands fighting for space in front of the mirrors
with women combing their hair and putting on lipstick.

Of course it would be easy to make a usage study or ask women, but they don't bother.

A male cousin of mine is an architect, makes a good living.
He designed a house for his mother, my aunt.
The kitchen is not usable for able bodied people, an island in the middle of the kitchen takes up all the room
and you cannot walk in the tiny aisles or access appliances. My aunt is in a walker
and does not go into the kitchen.

I have a kitchen island that I designed myself in my home and there is plenty of space
and ease of use. I am not an architect and I could figure it out.

[PatSeg]

19. Who knows

Some day a future generation of men may be complaining, because some woman designed something without any male input! Of course, I'd just like to see a world where people are a little more considerate and accommodating towards others. The problem seems to be that some people are just so self-absorbed, they can't or won't take the time to look at things from another's point of view. I am hopeful it is possible, but there are days when you have to wonder.

[Irish_Dem]

20. I think all men should be women for a month to see what it is like.

Women will probably be considerate as designers and design for both genders, not just one.
And it doesn't have to be either or. I think kitchens can accommodate both genders.

I know, I don't think I will live to see the day when a woman's public rest room actually accommodates women.

[PatSeg]

21. I've spent my entire life

trying to imagine walking in another's shoes. I don't always understand as much as I'd like to, but the world would be a better place if people would just make the effort.

[Irish_Dem]

22. I do that too. Try to imagine what life is like for another person on a day to day basis.

I don't think it is possible for men to even imagine what it is like being a female.
On a daily basis.

[PatSeg]

23. Perhaps

all these stories coming out, will awaken many men to what we've gone through. I have to say, though there have been many uncomfortable encounters in my life, more than I could count, the majority of the men I've known were respectful and decent.

I made it my goal to raise a decent man and I have succeeded in that regard. Childhood is where we need to begin.

[Irish_Dem]

24. Kudos for raising a good son. And yes there are decent men.

But the point is that women don't know which men are good or bad when they go into
a new environment, and have to take time to evaluate the safety of their surroundings.

[PatSeg]

25. Oh boy

That is the truth. Men can be so good at disguising who they really are. I have been unpleasantly surprised many times.

[Irish_Dem]

27. I know, such a disappointment. nt

[Phentex]

26. Some women have said this and I don't understand it

other than their definition is different from that of most other women. I was listening to a famous actress being interviewed and she said no, no it had never happened to her. But later in the interview she remembered one time when a producer began saying perverted things to her and made a pass at her.

HELLO? That's what sexual harassment is.

So maybe some women are thinking about something very specific like an unwanted kiss, inappropriate touching, etc and they don't feel that happened to them.

[PatSeg]

30. When I was young,

men were enjoying the sexual revolution and aspiring to a Playboy type life style. Meanwhile, more and more women were entering the work force. Unfortunately, it was the women who had to adapt, not the men. It was a man's world.

Looking back, there was behavior that could be considered flirting, but sometimes went too far with some people. There was no "sexual harassment" at the time, though some behavior could have been considered inappropriate and distracting in the work place. I can't recall any guy getting in trouble for such behavior at the time. Most of the bosses were men, as was HR, so I suppose they thought "boys will be boys" and the women would eventually get married, have children, and leave the work force. The guys would still be there.

Our concept of what is considered sexual harassment has evolved over the years and the open discussions we're having are really helpful. I look back over many years and realize there were so many times that I was made very uncomfortable by something that was at worst, considered rather tacky or crass. I wasn't equipped to handle it when I first entered the work force, but over the years, I developed quite a few defenses. I had to, as management wasn't going to come to my rescue.

[George II]

15. Lots of men, too.

[MrsMatt]

29. I had my ass grabbed

in a very public setting (front of the arena, over 2000 people facing me).

If anyone was looking at me when it happened, they would have seen a very abrupt head up, eyes wide "WTF" look on my face.