Women in politics fear #MeToo moment will backfire — and they’ll be the ones punished

The Miami Herald ^ | Dec. 11, 2017 | Mary Ellen Klas

[Brilliant]

As Florida’s politically powerful men fear becoming targets of sexual harassment allegations, the new-found awareness of a male-dominated Legislature has come with a cost: Women are collateral damage.

Female staffers and lobbyists who returned to the Capitol last week for pre-session meetings discovered many male legislators will no longer meet with them privately. Accustomed to Tallahassee’s Southern culture, where men and women casually and routinely greet each other with hugs, legislators are doing an awkward dance to replace a hug with a handshake. And the fear of retaliation — against women who brought forward allegations or those who may in the future — is as raw as the fear that legislators’ political enemies could turn sexual harassment claims into new political weapons.

“I had a senator say, ‘I need my aide here in the room because I need a chaperone,’ ” said Jennifer Green, a veteran lobbyist, after meeting with a senator in his Capitol office to discuss a client’s issue. “I said, ‘Senator, why do you need a chaperone? I don’t feel uncomfortable around you, do you feel uncomfortable around me? ‘Well,’ he said, ‘anyone can say anything with the door shut.’ ”...

[Brilliant]

Unintended consequences. But you can't really blame the men. What it shows is that the men don't believe the women are playing fair and telling the truth. At least they think that some of them are not.

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...this is a general all-purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

I’ll give them some advice - stay away from Gloria Allred and that nitwit daughter of hers.

[grobdriver]

men don't believe the women are playing fair and telling the truth

You know they aren't - they've found a bat and are now wielding it wildly.

What's really sad is any allegation by a woman is grounds (apparently, to watch them fall) for firing - never mind evidence, investigation or any common sense.

The Pence rule is looking better and better.

[Louis Foxwell]

This will backfire, especially among libs. They have the most to lose, are most likely to lose their reputation, and are surrounded by the most likely gold digger women.

[Egon]

Guess what, gals: it’s not just in politics.

[deadrock]

It is a real win, and a fantastic side effect, for the postmodernist feminists to have male sexuality criminalized while taking down the real perverts.

[fortheDeclaration]

Men should always be careful around women!

They are not 'buddies' as the Left wants to portray them on Media.

[Red Badger]

I know at least one woman who lied in order to get someone’s job.......twice.........then after the third try she herself got fired................

[yetidog]

I never met alone with the door closed in my many years as a college teacher. Too many women with stories they wanted to tell someone and teachers always seem to be a convenient target. Too bad this genie is out of the bottle. Changing otherwise innocent relationships between men and women is not a good thing.

[Navy Patriot]

Women in politics fear #MeToo moment will backfire — and they’ll be the ones punished

I'll be glad to help out, ... with a vengeance.

[ScottinVA]

Female staffers and lobbyists who returned to the Capitol last week for pre-session meetings discovered many male legislators will no longer meet with them privately.

Good move, men. Don't say anything more than is absolutely necessary, don't touch, sure as hell don't HUG, and keep every syllable directed at them entirely businesslike.

[brownsfan]

We have allowed feminists to influence and indoctrinate our young through the liberal takeover of schools.

The #metoo movement is simply the manifestation of the teaching that all men are rapists.

I know I find it revolting, and hope there is a special place in hell for some of these women.

I wonder how many under 40 men have enough self esteem to be bothered by this nonsense? I fear most of those poor men will have been indoctrinated enough that they’ll begin soul searching, trying to figure out why they are rapists at heart.

I thank God that I’m not dating.

[ScottinVA]

“I said, ‘Senator, why do you need a chaperone? I don’t feel uncomfortable around you, do you feel uncomfortable around me?

WTF do you expect? Business as usual? HELL NO!!

[martinidon]

Yep!, In today's environment this will play out everywhere. This will be the new norm and unfortunately, women will be left out. I can remember in my exec days I used to take female assistants and co-workers on company trips and industry events without hesitation or a thought. We would attend dinners and cocktail events. Today, I would rather go alone than take female assistants or co-workers on trips or industry events and dinners...

[kearnyirish2]

I’ve seen people (including white female managers) avoid hiring blacks to avoid racial issues; it stands to reason men would do the same with women.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Longstanding rules of morals, civility and propriety were the grease that allowed the gears of society to turn freely. They provided a framework for men and women to work together without anyone feeing violated or intimidated.

Take those things away and the machine certainly does not work better.

[Bratch]

Many of the "female lobbyists" are glorified hookers.

This #MeToo stuff is cutting into their profits.

[Fido969]

Female staffers and lobbyists who returned to the Capitol last week for pre-session meetings discovered many male legislators will no longer meet with them privately.

The Pence Rule. It's a good thing.

[Red Badger]

What will happen is women will find it more and more difficult to find a job. Men won’t hire them, only other women.

And one story I read last week, even that can be difficult. A woman started her own company and hired only women. What she got was a disaster....................