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In reply to the discussion: So my straight employee was sexually harassed last night by 2 gay men in front of his wife [View all]Egnever
(21,506 posts)sorry not seeing it.
On a woman's side it is a situation where they are constantly on the losing side of the power equation. Constantly.
While this may have been uncomfortable if it happened it was one short episode where the shoe was on the other foot for this guy. Personally I would have found it amusing had it happened to me because short of actual assault it would have zero effect on me.
Someone touching my butt does not induce fear in me. Someone finding me attractive and making that known does not induce fear in me. Someone suggesting I ditch my wife and come with them only makes me laugh.
It is not even close to the same thing because as men we don't have to live in fear of sexual advances our entire lives.
If it happened I have no doubt it made him uncomfortable but in my mind that does not come close to sexual harassment. Were it a woman surrounded by men my attitude would be much different because of the underlying dynamics.
In this case I would be willing to bet the guy it happened to was a homophobe and was so geeked out by it he blew it completely out of proportion.
I used to work with a guy who was a homophobe and one night the gang decided to all go to a gay bar after work because it was close and one of our coworkers was a gay guy and asked us to come. This homophobic guy came with us after some prodding. His discomfort at the bar was freaking hilarious and he was uncomfortable talking about it for weeks.
I suppose you would say we sexually harassed him by pointing out his discomfort but I honestly couldn't care less. The guy was a dog with women and it was fucking hilarious to see the shoe on the other foot.