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From: jan@oas.olivetti.com (Jan Parcel)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Erotic images on display in the workplace
Message-ID: <49675@ricerca.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jun 91 19:28:14 GMT
References: <1991Jun16.230844.210@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu> <49662@ricerca.UUCP> <1991Jun19.112726.215@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu>
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Reply-To: jan@oas.olivetti.com
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Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
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Approved: nadel@aerospace.aero.org
Status: R
Originator: nadel@aerospace.aero.org



In article <1991Jun19.112726.215@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu> fme@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu writes:
>In article <49662@ricerca.UUCP>, jan@oas.olivetti.COM (Jan Parcel) writes:
>
>> Secondly, some workers use erotica as part of an overall harrassment
>> pattern (although I have never worked in a place where that is true.
>> When I overhear engineers saying "Wow! Sexy" it always turns out to
>> be chip specifications they are looking at)
>
>	"Harrassment pattern" ... Hmmm, I'm not sure that the offending
>	individuals actually *intend* it as such - no hatefullness in
>	it at all. Ever seen the male peacock do its thing ? Surrounding
>	ones self with erotica is somewhat akin to a non-specific
>	invitation to sex, a mating display. Now, if some kind of
>	hostilities break-out over such displays, the situation may
>	indeed move towards true, intentional harrassment and
>	intimidation. A modicum of both courtesy and tolerance on
>	everyones part can do wonders towards reducing escelation.


Notice I said "some."  I am referring to some well-publicised cases
where women (usually in blue-collar jobs) are sworn at,  fondled
when their hands are full, given late-night phone calls threatening
them with rape, and then up go a number of really raunchy posters.

In these cases, the men, if asked or called on it, will claim that there
is no intentional harm in the posters, and I don't buy it.  Once real
harrassment starts, it is time to clean the whole place up.

GIF's have never figured in these cases that I know of, possibly because
the office environment, unlike the construction environments or heavy
factories, have *always* had women present since male secretaries went
out of fashion, and the guys are not trying to make *all* women go away.

~~~ jan@orc.olivetti.com   or    jan@oas.olivetti.com  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We must worship Universal Consciousness as each of the 5 genders in turn
if we wish to be fully open to Yr glory.
						-- St. Xyphlb of Alpha III