We are, of course, amazed that our readers occasionally disagree with our brilliant and witty essays. In fact, sometimes quite a few readers think that The Outrage editors are wrong, misanthropic, idiotic, selfish, deluded, or all of the above.

Mother Outrage always told us that even the dull and the ignorant should have their say, so we've allowed space below for those dissenting opinions (and for shameless flattery).

Read the 1st set of comments about this Outrage!

Ever heard of,"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"? If corporations and small businesses would discipline harrassers themselves,then people like my wife and I would not HAVE to sue and the large settlements WOULD NOT even be an issue!If doing time holds true for criminals,then why not pay the fine for harrassers,or corpaorations who choose to not discipline them! Don't be harrassing women on the jobs and you will not have to be concered with how big of a settlement you,or your boss will have to pay! Sort of like,"don't speed and you have no need to worry about the cops"!!!!!

At this present time I am engaged in a lawsuit against one of the largest resturant chains.My wife being an employee there was sexually harrassed for over 5 months.This consisted of repeatedly inquiring about her sexual preferences,grabbing,being subjected to watching employees strip in the open,being called extremely rude names of sexual content and much more that happened.Every night she would come home very tired and stressed out and I would instantly beging hearing the story of her stressful work day.I have seen her cry on many occassions as she wanted to complain to her superiors,but it had been made clear that whiners are terminated,or,"weeded" out of the schedual.I am self employed college student full time,we have three children and my wife works full time to help support our family while I attend college and work.We make about the same amount of money.Sleep is VERY inportant to us.When things got so bad she started sinking into depression I encoraged her to report these incidences to her boos.She told the offenders to leave her alone several times.It did no good.She then turned agressive and told them several more times.Still they would not stop.Finally she complained and what happens? Her boss on the premises that day asked them nicely to stop.They didn't.Then the goes to him again when these things continued and he said the following,"I am just glad I am transfering tommorrow to another store,because this is completely out of hand and they will not listen to me".No write ups,no severe warnings,no terminations.Just a,"I am sorry my hands are tied".Less than 10 minutes later one of the offenders walks up behind her,reaches under each of her arms,places his hands on her breats,lifts her up into the air and acts as if he is humping her and holding her breast.She was severely offended and terrified.She begins to scream and yell at him,then she burst into tears,runs to the back of the store where that same manager tells her,"everything will be ok.Don't cry"..When I heard this story after all that has happened I was outraged and was about to drive down there myself to fix the problem,but I thought about our three children.I was only minutes from ending up in jail for a serious charge of bodily harm to this individual.I decided that the next morning we would contact a reputable law firm to help us handle the situation.As part of their,"investigation" we were told to drive 90 miles to another city,sit down with their attorney,HR. woman and a court reporter.I had to take off work that day to take her there and sit for a 4 hour line of questioning concerning the situation so the home office could,"investigate" our claims.Then upon her returning to work that evening she was treated terribly.So bad in fact that a manager made her come to the office and he screamed in her face and tried to manipulate her into signing a paper saying that he never did anything to her before,but he in fact had and was outraged at her for his actions that could possibly cost him his job. Because of this incident she was transfered to another store where she make half what she made before.

Now we are talking here about a very sweet woman,mother of three children and a very supportive and faithful wife.A very hard worker who under normal cercumstances enjoys her line of work and is a top notch employee with a lot of regulars who insist she help them rather than others.

All of this has been VERY stressful and angering.Has caused health problem such as severe depression,anxiety and loss of sleep and a flawed schedual.It has totally disrupted our normal lifestyle.Why does it have to be this way? It doesn't if people could keep their hands to theirselves,if people would work instead of horseplaying,if management would take matters such as this serious instead of being too afraid to discipline their drinking buddies who work under them.A lot more than what I have told here took place.We are sueing this company and will be goping through mediation very soon. You people on this forum can whine about high settlements if you want to,but I assure you that if you were in our shoes,you would feel different.So many of you I feel who complain about women who seu for sexual harrassment are probably in fact harrassers yourselves,young know nothings,or just putting your flaky ideas out here on the net,just because you want to be involved in something you know nothing about.I truly feel that taking the route we are taking will not teach this corporation a thing,but it is a lot more mature way of handling the situation rather than my having gone down there in person to handle it myself,because I assure you that if I had you would have heard about it on the news.Thank you American lawmakers for providing us with a way to correct things without having to commit a crime ourselves to correct them.

I don't know how people sleep at night with such strong opinions of the lifestyles that others choose to lead. I've been asked out, poked fun of, touched, and probably sexually harassed as bad or worse than anyone who's ever made a buck off "the system". There's this abstract idea of self-esteem that keeps me out of court and in the work force though. I'm an adult. If somebody ticks me off, I tell them. If I like them, I play along. It keeps life interesting. I agree with the guy who said that some men are afraid to enter a room where there is a woman alone for fear of concocted fallacies related to his behavior. Frankly, I think that's sad. We're all on this crazy ride together and I think we should be more tolerant of each other's behavior. We don't all have the capacity to tolerate excessive flirting. For those people-let them go to court, get them out of the work force. We need more people with balls out there manning the world anyway. For those of us who enjoy relating with people and maintaining a little healthy sexual challenge during the daily grind-be prepared to take over because pretty soon we'll be all that's left.

Donna

I'm not sure how to state this. I was sexually harassed about 7 years ago. I was working at an Army installation. The person who grabbed me had never given any indication over the 2 years I'd worked with him that he had any interest in me. I'm a Christian, and he professed to be (and may well be) a Christian--a deacon at his church. He waited until a day when there was absolutely no one around for the day. The daily routine was for all the men ( about 9) in the office to gather in the chairs around my desk (I was the receptionist) and drink coffee and gab for about the first 1/2 hour or so before really digging in to work. It had never bothered me--I had always been able to do my work. Until after the day the one male grabbed me and cornered me. I was petrified. To make matters worse, another female in the office had complained about the same male about 2 years prior, but, because no one in the office liked her, no one believed her. I admit, even though I liked her, I didn't believe her either. My experiences after the grab were: I told my boss. He said he'd back me in anything I wanted to do. He lied. I went to Management-Employee Relations. The man there said I didn't have a case--and how did I know the other guy wasn't just trying to be friendly? And, by the way, don't go to the EEO office because I don't have a case. So, I went to the EEO office. Not only did I have a case, the man in question ADMITTED to what I claimed happened. EEO personnel said that was the first time that had ever happened--for someone to admit to it. What did I want? Just to be given a job in another office on post. I was told that wasn't possible. I later found out that was a lie. The men in my office ostracized me. I asked that they no longer sit at my desk in the morning because the one involved felt no compunction about sitting there with them in the morning. As one man said "Who the hell does she think she is telling me I can't sit there?" My husband came down on orders to Korea, so he moved the family to Washington State for the duration. It wasn't until the attempt to appoint Clarence What's-His-Name to the Supreme Court that I received a call from someone in a Dallas office about my case. She asked what I wanted--I said I had wanted to be moved to a different job. That's when I found out I could have had that. I didn't want to leave the post where I was--I only wanted a different job. Yes, I survived. When I think of the incident I get sick to my stomach--it hurts to think that I became the victim. It never crossed my mind to ask for money, although that must be what the people were alluding to when they asked what I wanted. I disagree with the money being meted out and the promotions of women who aren't qualified into positions just because of a sexual harassment charge. I DO think every case should be looked into objectively and on a case-by-case basis. This man had harassed someone else years before me, but got away with it because no one liked the female involved. I wonder who else he has approached since the incident with me? Oh yes, I also received a lower rating from my boss on my last appraisal than I had ever gotten before--and my work hadn't changed at all. That is permanently in my record.

I am a military guy. I must therefore be a bad person. It is so bad where I work - men will not go into an office that has a secretary sitting at a desk - unless they are accompanied by at least one other person! (A witness) If you make a comment in front of this woman that has even the slighest chance at being taken the wrong way - her word is definitely going to be taken as gospel. So forget about being promoted! Start preparing your legal case.

Four technicians in charge of repairing an aircraft part were using the internationally accepted terms "male and female" while discussing sections of a sliding connector. They were charged with sexual harassment. This discussion took place in a hallway approximately 12 feet from this secretary's office door with two senior officials from a well recognized civilian engineering firm. The technicians were charged, disciplined and fined!

I'll buy the "sueing for moral reasons" arguement when these women start giving their million dollar settlements away to charity. In the meantime, I'll continue to view these cases as get-rich-quick schemes carried out by women who are themselves more predatory than the men they accuse.

Take a look around you and you'll notice that the issue is not about sexual harassment, or being a woman. The issue is much larger--being a "victim" in a special interest group. Anybody can band together into a finite special interest group, claim society or another entity is treating them unfairly, find a slick lawyer who can stack a bleeding-heart jury, and win a quick million. Anyrace-Americans, womyn, domestically displaced (foreigners), physically challenged, mentally challenged, vertically challenged, sexually non-compliant--the list goes on. Extorting organizations for big bucks somehow assuages the trauma they have suffered. Until people are held individually accountable (gee, there's a novel idea) for their own actions, nothing will ever change. It's always someone else's fault. Sure, the lawyers take these cases, but look at the damn legal interpretations (that we all stand for otherwise we'd do something to change them) that make 'em all possible. I guess lobbying special interest groups (oh, there they are again) and other payoffs in government had nothing to do with the littany of ridiculous equalizing laws. Litigation for an outrageous monetary award is not the answer.

OK, let us suppose that I am a shareholder of some company. If some guy, a manager in that company sexually harassed a woman and she won the lawsuit I am paying to her and to her lawyer, even if I have never seen her before. Is it fair? It means that I am paying for a bad choice of the employee, even if I did not hire him personally. Also asking somebody like boyfriend or husband for help in situations like this could be a solution, not every woman is able to do that, and besides everybody has to be able to protect him/herself. In majority cases a woman just need to say to the guy just cut it to stop harassment. If it would not work it is very easy to prove whether there is really a case. Technically it is very simple: ask Linda Tripp how to do that. But may be not all women want to stop harassment? May be they just want to be harassed for a while, and then get away with money? I believe, you could find a lot of people, both women and men, which would choose that way. And some other people are paying for this.

I have determined that the term "sexual harassment" has new meaning since our boy prez managed to escape responsibility for his predatory behavior towards Ms. Jones. I will follow his lead; I will look for every opportunity to be alone with women at work, drop my pants, and ask her to provide me sexual gratification. If she says "no", well then, I walk away. As the First Groper says, "that is not sexual harassment". With common sense becoming a rare commodity in this country, we are not far from anarchy.

clean

I am an attractive woman who is hooted and hollered and honked at quite frequently. I have however only been 'sexually harrassed' ONE time, and I simply told the man after about 4 times of his 'comments' that I was bringing my boyfriend in next time to take care of it for me. And I did. All my boyfriend had to do was tell him to leave me alone, and I never heard anything out of his mouth again. I am tired of women suing over a dirty joke or being asked on a date (even if its rather crudely) and complaining about equal rights! Its rediculous!!!! If someone is REALLY harassing you tell the boss, your husband, your boyfriend, or just slap the jerk! Quit your whining and complaining...better yet, stay home with your kids and your housework and you wont have to worry about it!

You say that some women will only get a few thousand dollars and the largest payment will be $300,000. So, how does this make these women millionaires?

I agree that these huge settlements are ridicoulous. Unfortunately, it is the only way to make a point these days. If it was a smaller more reasonable amount, the "bean counters" might decide it's cheaper to pay people off and keep the status quo instead of making the changes necessary.

My mom uses the same argument about how people used to harass her when she was young and they had to put up with it. That is how things were, not a reason to leave things the same!

We are supposed to make the world better! Not continue to put up with inequalities.

There is no doubt in my mind that the business of sexual harassment (spelled correctly here) has largely benefited lawyers and the lazy seeking a quick buck. One must wonder just how anxious some of our lawyer friends would be to take a case in which the plantiff was only allowed to sue the offender, rather than the employer. I think the recent supreme court decision which held a school district was not responsible for the actions of a teacher is an omen of things to come. Perhaps the days of free rides and easy money are nearing an end. Too bad for the pond scum called lawyers.

A simple way to deal with sexual predators and harassers -- cut his dick off and feed it to the cat.

Nosy

We can thank all the lawyers, including the ones the fools of this country elected to create these stupid laws. They are the ones who profit. Repeal the laws and make ALL lawyers get real productive jobsand the whole country will be a better place to live!

so once again a women who is sexually harrassed is said to shut your trap, get back to work it can't be all that bad. We're expected to accept the fact that some guy with a fixation is making rude sexual comments to get his rocks off at his fellow female workers' expense. Maybe even threatengin my job if he doesn't get to fill me up.

So I shouldn't get compensation for the sleepless nights, stressful work environment that has created my ulcer and other heal problems? It doesn't matter that day and night I am having to worry about keeping my job if I tell the harrasser to take a hike? You know I have the kids to feed, the mortage, and the car payments. If I quit my job there is no guarantee I will find a job that pays as well. Or maybe the hours will not be so good making it difficult to pick up my kids after school. Then waht about the medical benefits for my kids. Because some jerk with a hard-on is harassing me at work I have to consider giving that all up by either leaving or by telling the guy off and getting fired. Or I can sue and make it clear that the behavior was wrong and to prevent him from hassling anyone else, then get some compensation for the ulcer, stress and loss of a good paying job.

But you would deny me the right to complain and force me to deal with a harasser day in and day out, who refuses to take NO for an answer and who is jeapordizing my job which I need to take care of my kids?

April Joy

I just found your site, and I love it!! When I was younger and looked great, I too, was "sexually harrassed". I usually ignored them, told them off, or demeaned their manhood. It was called "surviving in the real world". I did, and I don't regret that I didn't think of suing these jerks. Hell, I didn't even take alimony from my first two husbands because I thought it a weak excuse just because we both made a mistake. I am strong, intelligent and I survived on my own by being honest, working hardand taking life's knocks as they came. My husband knows that in most ways, I am stronger than he is. These sue happy women are no better or worse than any other human (man or woman) who are looking for the easy way out. Eventually, our society will get tired of this latest news blitz, and will find some other human foible to target. It all boils down to money and what it can buy. Thanks for the great site...I'll read it regularlly and hope my comments are well received.

What's next here, are we going to see lawsuits against Levis because someone says that jeans make their butt look fat.

Do you think that these laws were passed to protect the public? In most of the cases the lawyers will take home more than the plaintiff. Apparently when you sexually harass someone you sexually harass their lawyer as well. I guess if you look closely you can see who really benefits here.

This recent folly is yet another money making scheme by the non-productive segment of our society. Yes, true sexual harrassment (of males or females) is wrong, even outside the workplace. But the lawyers have turned it into a feeding frenzy, as they have with so many other issues. Now the stupidity of it overshadows the real issues. Lawyers have created another opportunity for basically lazy people ( the same type as those who gamble to win 'the big one') based on personal greed and a lack of moral character. People should learn how to stand up for themselves, which doesn't have to involve violence, although at times that can be a viable alternative, if done with prudence. If civil tort is the only option, then tell me where the outrageous settlement amounts fit in a society wherein the average killer serves only eight years in prison. It's the lawyers, folks.

Re. your comments that "The end justifies the Means" and the connection w/ Clinton and the commonly quoted statement: "Hey, if the economy is good, who cares?", I was reminded of a newscast a couple of weeks ago from San Diego where a mid forty-ish Principle had been arrested for having sex w/ a 14yr old freshman. The reporter was getting the students opinion on the incident, and I was floored when a senior female actually said "hey, if the students are learning, what's the problem? They love each other!"

Can anybody explain me why these women do not sue they direct offenders, I mean the men who assaulted them? Of course I understand that there is not much money you can get from them. But how the company could be responsible for a man who said something wrong to a woman? You can not control everybody's action. May be it is time to forget about mysterious Russian soul and start to think about mysterious American soul? At least judge's soul. How can they give such ridiculous verdicts? I am not sure then Americans themselves understand their civil law system, but for a foreigner it is complete enigma. For instance: there are two possibilities - either O.J. did kill his ex-wife and her boyfriend, or he did not. If he did - why he is not in the prison? If he did not - Why he pays money? Enigma.

Here's what I don't understand. A guy says the exact same thing to two different women, of a sexual nature. One woman sez your place or mine and the other claims sexual harrassment.

If we taught this type of wisdom in our schools we would not have a nation of fools.

ACS 8:17 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

ACS 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

ACS 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

ACS 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

ACS 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

ACS 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

ACS 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.

MAT 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

MAT 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Amen Sisters & Brothers! I am so tired of these women who make themselves out to be such "victims" when all one really has to do to stop so-called sexual harassment is tell the offending clown to knock it off. Everyone has at least one big bad brother/father/guy friend who would be glad to come to the office and knock a few heads around or at least give the impression he is willing to do so. Use him! How did we wind up here??? It's as though all that feminist sixties stuff that was going on thirty years ago has been twisted into something strange and sad. If people can't behave themselves we, as men and women, have not only the right but an obligation to each other to tell the offending jerk to straighten up his or her act. I am so sick of lawsuits it just hurts. Women who pursue these (usually) groundless lawsuits are an embarassment to the female gender and are truly hurting any real victims of legitimate sexual harassment or violence. Ladies, can we please move on?

I think what's truly amazing is the need to "police" what people say or joke about. It's almost funny that in today's society that people can't take a joke for a joke. People say all kind of things that annoy me or insult me. I guess its too bad that I can ignore them.

I agree with the article. The problem is the laws passed by Liberals in Congress. Who is in Congress? Mostly lawyers-do you think that laws that open up all kinds of lawsuits are passed in the long run interest of the Legal profession? Just think about that the next time you hear about yet another lawsuit brought against a Company.

I agree that harrassment is obnoxious. As I recall, it seemed to be handled by adults without the benefit of a lawsuit-but then there isn't any money in that. Who do these people think is paying for the ridiculous settlements passed out by juries? Trust me, the companies are not taking this out of their profits.

There's a lot of money to be made in suing these companies. where is everyone's outrage in the enormous fees these attorneys are making? They are the ones getting rich and laughing all the way to the banks while pretending to have so much "concern" for the so called victims. True sexual harrassment should be dealt with but I have been working in an office environment long enough to know that most women are worse than men when it comes to the dirty talk and spreading sexually explicit material around the office. The big difference is that the women can get away with it and the men can't. Even at that, this is not sexual harrassment to me. True sexual harrassment would actually threaten the woman's job and security if she refused the advances of her supervisor or boss. I think we all know what the difference is. Too many women are crying wolf nowadays and the truly serious and extreme cases are being overlooked and ignored becuase of the crybabies who can't handle themselves like grown women. What ever happened to a woman slapping the jerk across his face? Come on gals, take up for yourselves! Are you telling me that if I get pinched on the behind that I deserve a millions bucks but if I get raped that I should just try and put it behind me a get on with my life? I'd take the pinch on the behind any day before a true sexual attack!

I become outraged myself, just being around women in the work place. I am female and find the actions of many women discusting. Money should not be a reward for complaining; if cases are fact (not just normal male exuberance, which is usually easily rejected) it should definitely be punished. $$$ should never be involved. Thanks for your site, I read whenever it changes.

I agree totally with Saturday's (June 13) column. I feel that women truly can get away with anything in today's work environment, and have seen several examples of these incidents at my own office. A woman may say anything she wishes, and dress as her mood dictates. Woe be it to any man who tries to do the same!

Thanks for a great (and very true) assessment of today's workplace outrages.

A society of "victims" has been created through the guise of "justice" being meted out. Isn't it funny that big money is always the answer??? Some things never change.... men want sex and women want their money.

I would like to comment on your story. While I believe no one male or female should have to be subjected to a hostile work environment, I would like to relay a personal experience. I am a male and was subjected to harassment as a Christian because I told a co-worker (female) her boyfriend was just using her. She informed me to leave her alone, that I was harassing her - then when I turned my back on her, the guy raped her and she stayed with him - all the while I was wondering why a woman would rather be used for a piece rather than date a man who would treat them with respect. After nearly three years of not dating, I met my wife and am now happily married. As for the accuser, she was left dumped with three kids the last I heard, and I sincerely hope she checks into a mental institution before another suitor checks out her ass...

Inflammatory essays such at the one you published on "sexual harassment" appear not to aimed at exploring an issue or providing individuals with information to understand. Rather the objective appears to be to generate a response from an essentially outageous and uninformed position. What is most ominous, however, is the trivializing of an issue deemed serious by a number of women in the workplace. Why is it so difficult for men to understand that sexual aggression may be interpreted by women as unwanted, intimidating, and threatening? Is it the new political ability of women to challenge a "male sexual world view" where anything goes? Can it be, on the other hand, the contempt felt for women who refuse to cooperate in their own victimization? Afterall, don't you think your position might be described as: women who challenge male sexual aggression are "pseudovictims, gold diggers," while women who don't are actually "morally challenged.?" Do you get the sense that perhaps it might be more useful to seriously understand the dimensions of the problem without continuing to attack and demean women? I say let's rid the workplace of men who systematically and repeatedly abuse women. Afterall, if women were made to feel more comfortable and less anxious in the workplace, wouldn't they be more productive and wouldn't we all benefit from their contributions?

Are you implying that there isn't any sexual harassment in the work place against women. Why should women put up with type of behavior at all. What about all the women who suffer in silence and don't come forward because they are afraid of being fired, made fun of, saying that they asked for it. They shouldn't have to endure this type of treatment from anybody in any job. If they are smart enough to be compensated for there shabby treatment then more power to them. To many men still think in this day and age that women shouldn't be in the work force. Then there would have be many things that wouldn't have been discovered etc. I think if a women can do a job as well as any man then she should be equally compensated for it. Nobody should have to put up with any kind of harassment in the work place male or female.

We are reading more and more and more lawyer"JOKES", and there are more and more stories about the unethical legal means of extorting dollars, including prolonging disputes for longer fees, etc. THEY ARE NOT FUNNY!!! When and how will this get corrected? When someone can't seek justice because they have no dollars, I would have hoped it would head to cures, but it just gets more and more evidence to question what they are teaching in law schools? HELP IS NEEDED.

Your article on sexual harassment was very good. Then I read some of the responses which were about normal. The exceptions take offense while loosing sight of the big picture. Yes there is sexual harassment and it should be dealth with on an individual basis, but don't assume every complaint is valid - it is not. In our plant the manager has such a fear if women they run him. They want to do a mans job and then complain it is not fair to them to do such hard work. I have listened to some of their conversations while in groups. In doing so I wonder if these women could be harassed. They get a lot more intimate about there sexual activities than any man I know. We recently had a seminar on sexual harassment given by a woman. The bottom line turned out to be more propaganda than fact by telling women that just about anything a man says to them that they find offensive could be construed as sexual harassment because he is a man and they are women. It was totally rediculous and actually has created more problems in the work place by people just shutting off from each other for everything. I find the outrage to be a very straight forward comprehensive editorial. In todays world perhaps there lies the rub. Some of us comprehend what you are saying - keep up the good work.

Re Jennifer's comment below:

An instance such as this is already covered by law: it's called sexual assault. We would assume that you would not need to be fired in a situation like this: that you would quit as soon as the event happened.

In any event, is money the solution to the problem? (Is it the solution to every problem?) And if so, how much? $100, $1000, a million?

The real problem is the same for all of these civil suits - the people with legitimate problems don't seek legal solutions and the people who want to rip off the system do.

What this article fails to point out is that these two very reported suits (Mitsubishi and TWA) were filed because the management in these situations failed to protect these women workers. We're not talking about someone filing suit because they were offended that a man complimented them on their blouse. In these instances, repeated harrassment was reported to superiors and ignored!

I understand that the climate in some workplaces has gotten so that, as a man, you have to be on guard over what you say at every moment. On the flip side, having experienced being a women worker in a predominantly male office, I know what it is like to have felt sexual harassment. My boss took me out to lunch for Secretaries Day. When we walked to the parking lot and out to our cars, which were parked near one another, he forcibly pushed me up against my car, groped my chest, and attempted to kiss me. Nothing in my behavior could have hinted that this kind of advance was welcome. When I pushed him away, he told me not to bother coming into work on Monday, because I no longer had a job. This is the truth of what can happen, but there is another side--that of women who are repeatedly put in situations like this by fellow employees, and their management does nothing to rectify the situation.

Women already, especially in working class positions, make less money than there male counterparts. What is a woman to do if she has a family to support and needs this job to do it?

I am sick of the notion that it is up to the women to stop these advances and abuses. Where is men's responsibility?

I am a true believer in equality, and if a women is using her power to harass a man, the same rules should apply. Justice should be blind to gender.

I'm sitting here thinking, what an Outrage! The Outrage is that men never get anything like what these women are getting. My asst. Supervisor has the habit of standing behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders and addressing me as sweetie or honey. I'd consider taking the business (Fortune 500-type) to court over this and making a quick mill, but I don't think I'd ever be able to keep a straight face, explaing to the jury how she'd ruined my life. How can judges let this crap go on like this?

I am a Secuirty Guard on the midnight shift for a University in Texas. I know all about Big Sister and the followers of her skirts. I was written up and threatened with termination because I visited inappropriate sites at 3am. Because there were rumors of what I was doing it caused a hostile work inviroment for the female office workers in the daytime. Now I have to watch over my shoulder and be careful at everything I do or say...one woman asked me a question about cyber-sex on chatlines and I jokingly answered her it was great...which I really don't know anything about... well I was sited for that also...know one cared I was aked about it...thank you for your site...

I'm glad that I don't work in an office anymore because it was getting rediculous. You could compliment a woman as to her hair, clothes or perfume and get into trouble as she cpild screem sexual harrassmenr.

I don't know how people can meet, court and maybe get married to anyone in an office as a man has to be so careful not to entrap himself in a sexual harrassment suit.

I think that some women are taking advantage of the situation either to get money or a man in trouble.

May the "Force" be with you,

Rolls

You state, " The best thing about sexual harassment suits is the role they play in destroying the usefulness of reason itself." What ever gave you the idea that reason has anything to do with what women do? Society's pervasive acceptance of the premise that a woman's feelings equate with fact simply defies reason. You seem to have missed the trend in progressive higher education.

"There are respected academics in women's studies departments and elsewhere who argue that Jane Austen was a lesbian, that Beethoven's ninth symphony is an anthem to rape, that mathematics and science are "phallocentric" disciplines ill-suited to "feminine ways of knowing," and on and on." - Mona Charen on progressive higher education.

Can't you see that reason is a "phallocentric" trait to be abolished in the brave new gender neutral world?

Ha! I am still laughing at your comments on the Sexual Harrassment Industry. Even my being a female does not hinder my seeing the absolute truth in what you are saying. I'm not over the hill, age wise; either am I a "spring chicken". I'm just old enough to remember an American society where everyone< courts, goverment, men and women exercised that quaint old concept called "common sense". "Ain't" much of that around anymore, is there? I've worked in the job force for twenty-five years. There was a time when we women dealt with unwanted flirtations with the "brush-off". Nine times out of ten, it worked. For the remaining "1"; this joker was usually insane and bemt on forcefully pushing the issue. It was called rape and there were laws against that. Young women these days need to get a grip and stop allowing themselves to be manipulated by the beaurecrats/legal beagles and when approached by this "lecherous" insatiate, "Just Say No". OH..? Speaking as an American woman...: why is sexual harrassment a crime if you are a used car salesman or an assembly-line foreman, but it isn't a crime if you occupy the Oval Office?

I do not think you have any right to draw conclusions unless you have worked for a Japanese male or a Japanese based company. The attitude is quite different. I have been there and have total sympathy for any woman who unwhittingly takes such a job. Thank God not everything in this country is still run by the "stronger" sex. You failed to mention our grandest choice. We could marry the harrasser and then totally submit to him, regardless of his beliefs or "Godliness." You obviously are a male or a very fortunate female. Some females have been subjected to abusive work situations and could not go to the boss because he was the perp. What if she had a father across country and did not have the required boyfriend. What if the job paid enough to support her and her two or three children that ex hubby refuses to pay child support for? Should she be forced to take a lesser paying job because some jerk can think with the proper head? Perhaps you never think of using power to control a desparate woman, but not all men are so noble.