Workplace advice: Are you making too big a deal of this? No. He’s a poster child for the fact that sexual harassment isn’t only about sex; it’s also about power.
I’m not sure what I’ve walked into with my new job. I started work in a medical clinic three weeks ago. In the past, I’ve worked in warehouses and for construction companies. I was so excited to land a job in a medical facility because I thought the atmosphere would be more professional. It’s not.
I try to tune out his comments, but last week when I was eating my lunch in the breakroom, he came in and started a conversation about how great it is for women to go commando. He said it liberated them and once they’d done it, they’d feel freed. One of the older staff members rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. I left the room.
What do I do? No one else seems to mind this doctor’s antics. Some like the massages and even say “me too” when he’s working on someone else. Am I making too big a deal of this? I’m afraid I’ll lose my job if I say how I feel to the wrong person.You’re not making too big a deal of this. You’ve described a physician who sexualizes the work environment by placing his hands on employees and making inappropriate comments. The banana incident, for which he set you up, had a sexual subtext.
If you fear identifying yourself as the whistleblower, you can write an anonymous letter and mail it to the clinic’s chief executive officer or managing physician. Unless they’ve been sleeping for the last decade, they’ll realize they have a situation that needs handling.