ED010-16
Have Things Gotten Better for Women Working on The Big Blue Water?
Abstract:
A lot of work on the Big Blue Water started with only men. When women started working on the Big Blue Water too, there was trouble. Sometimes men tried to keep women away by putting them down or attacking them. Some attacks hurt the body; some hurt the mind; many do both. The black woman from “The City that Never Sleeps”, who started #Me Too, was right in saying that many women have to put up with attacks – even more in jobs that are usually filled by men. At my last job, when I asked a room full of hundreds of people if any woman there had never been attacked at work, only one – one! - said yes. It makes me crazy to think how many women might not have kept working on the Big Blue Water because of such attacks.
I have gone to school and worked at jobs in 5 different states. In some of these places, there were women in top jobs, but in others, there were only men. The men at my schools were worse than the men at my jobs. Several teachers thought they could touch me whether I wanted them to or not, or ask me on a date when I was still in high school.
Some things are better now. Many men (and women!) want to know how not to attack women, or anyone else. Even if they do not know how yet, there are people to help them learn. At some work places, they try to make sure every person, even if they are new, gets a chance to learn how to do what is needed to be good at the top jobs. It also helps to go to schools with lots of people that are not white men, and ask the students there to come and try out your work place.
However, some things are not better yet. Some people (even in top jobs!) still do not think that attacks on women (and others that are different) are real, or that they drive people away, or that they happen to as many people as they really do - too often to women of color. I am asking every one of you to help fix this!