#142: Reverse sexual harassment

Heard the one about the bus driver who asked his female passenger to move or get off his bus? She had on a very low cut blouse and was sitting right in the sight-line of his rear-view mirror. He complained that she was distracting him from doing his job safely.

A form of sexual harassment, no doubt. But who was harassing whom?

I have witnessed many similar examples of what I call ‘reverse’ sexual harassment at work. Don’t get me wrong – sexual harassment deservedly gets a lot of attention in personnel policy booklets and on posters on company walls. But, equally, we should not ignore sexual harassment in the form of inappropriate dress for the work environment. Boy or girl.

Many companies have a casual dress code. But please, casual dress does not mean dress-down or half-dressed. Dress appropriately and you will be treated appropriately by your superiors, by your colleagues and even by your customers.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
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