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Sending so much love & power to these women, named and unnamed, in this story & not interviewed, who had to deal with unacceptable shit while simply trying to do their jobs. https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1283876236725452803
"It was the most miserable experience of my life. And we all tolerated it, because we knew if we complained — and they reminded us of this — there were 1,000 people out there who would take our job in a heartbeat."
Emily Applegate, Redskins employee in 2014 to 2015
This is so triggering because I've felt all these feelings, experienced these same things. To be other the other side now, not paralyzed by fear, I can say that I am so proud of these women. They have strength that I wish I knew how to display then.
To have men make inappropriate comments, touch you inappropriately, to consistently comment on your appearance or hair or outfit. When you're just trying to show up and do your job.
There's a recurring theme I read, that women tried to brush it off. Just ignore it or "lol" to the text to just try to keep going about their day. It's SO easy to say, well why didn't you say anything?!
Because you're young in your career and you just want to keep your job. Because there's no HR. Because you've reported it before and nothing was done. Because he's well-liked or a household name or has been there forever, and it's gunna be him versus you.
Because when you speak up, they say she's hard to work with or takes things too seriously. Or, hell, it's sports, can't you take the shit-talk? So then, she's sensitive. She's ostracized. She's not invited on the trips or to the meetings.
Because when she says something directly, in an environment where it's rampant, then it's awkward AF and you just want to go to work, get your job done, then go home. And it requires energy to fight back, to resist.
So, so many women have had their careers derailed because they spoke up. So many have left the industry because it became too much to bear.
"Well that's what you get when you're young and good looking. Take it as a compliment"
No, muhfucka, I want to go to work and do my J.O.B.
To not have my looks, body or clothing have any impact on my ability to do my job. To exist in this space.
No, muhfucka, I want to go to work and do my J.O.B.
To not have my looks, body or clothing have any impact on my ability to do my job. To exist in this space.
I wanted to work in sports ever since I was 11. I've been blessed to work in college, the pros, in sports media. I've had experiences that this little girl from Vallejo could never have imagined seeing, being at, watching.
But it came at a cost. As I'm sure it did with each and every one of these women. To my well-being, my health, my career trajectory, the internal compass that knows right from wrong but got clouded along the way.
All because men don't know how to act appropriately. Women deserve to be able to thrive in their workplace, no matter whether it's on the field, the office, or anywhere in between. These trash men must be held accountable. They must be removed from these roles.
Shame on these trash individuals and all of the people and institutions that allowed this behavior to continue to exist.
