Did the accusations against George Takei go anywhere? Generally, there is a pattern of behavior that extends to a number of victims with a similar modus operandi. I think there was only one accuser in his case.
Indeed. and the vast majority of them do. It’s not so hard to figure out.
The problem is still with the men who haven’t figured this out. Or are so powerful they feel entitled to act this way.
Hopefully that is ending.
When will it end? If someone gets caught in a lie in an accusation sad to say. One lie and the cards will tumble for all but provable criminal accusations.
I am astonished by the swiftness of the accusations and resignations and firings…its accelerating at an astonishing speed…do you all agree? There was a scene in World War Z (a better movie than people think!) where Brad Pitt and the Israeli soldier (the woman who had her arm bit off by the zombie) are in the back of the plane, in coach, and Brad Pitt sees movement in first class where the zombie virus jumps from seat to seat, infecting people at a faster & faster rate as it moves back to coach…then all kinds of exciting things happen but I won’t say in case you want to watch it tonight 
but it feels just like that scene right now.
My own observations…you’ll have others:
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there seems to be little to no distinction between the level of accusations…everyone is lumped into one big pile…from outright sexual assault/physical harm to pats on the butt and making people feel uncomfortable.
all accusations are considered true from the very first moment and immediately reported in the press before vetting (and I believe 85% of them will be true…but what about the 15% that might not be?)
companies are immediately firing rather than risk lawsuits, dragged-out coverage.
and don’t most of the accusations (roy moore aside) seem to be originating in the very educated/high-profile arena?
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In my own workplace (I’m a woman but have always worked on staffs of 70% + male staffs), i’ve been noticing a shift just in the last 6 or 7 days (yes, that quickly) where some of the guys are making more “watch out, she may report you” jokes…I think there’s a cynicism rising…a distrust…it worries me…it concerns me…it makes me wonder what is next.
What are you all thinking? I’m truly flummoxed…i don’t want to lose the easy-going workplaces that I"ve always been part of but I still want to make sure that the toxic workplaces that I’ve been reading about will change.
I’ve stopped believing that the VAST majority of men meet the standard of not harassing. Or at least, a whole lot of men are turning a blind eye.
I am so afraid that there is going to be a massive backlash against women as result of this wave of accusations/firings. You know, the kind of massive conservative, racist backlash we’re seeing in the wake of the Obama presidency. I really fear that men – who, let’s face it wield more power in this nation than women – will react by passing laws that hurt women, stopping to hire/promote women, becoming emboldened to openly and effectively belittle women.
With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I fear for my daughter’s future 
As the mother of boys, I hope DH and I have done our job and raised considerate and respectful men. Let’s hope the next generation is better than the previous. DS2 just came to me today and said he really wants to be a good cook. So that’s two guys who will cook for the family. DS1 already cooks for his GF.
I just don’t see it, @katliamom. In the words of my daughter, people are woke. Congress is too afraid to expose the many skeletons still in their closets to risk passing any type of law that would stifle women about complaining about this type of behavior, IMO. I get what you are saying about the backlash against the Obama presidency, but what form could you see that legislation taking? Hell, even McConnell said Moore should get out of the race. Are you thinking the Breitbarters could get something restricting harassment claims passed?
I am also more optimistic @katliamom. While the women stepped up and reported, it was men who did the firing. And very powerful men at the pinnacle of these organizations. Sad to say but women simply still do not hold that kind of power, especially in that industry.
They sent the message out loud and clear to the rank and file that it’s not acceptable. They could have taken the old approach and put the men on a temporary LOA or re-assigned the women. But they didn’t and I think that is significant.
Oh I do think there will be repercussions that will not favor women in some ways but hopefully just for a few years. These small things will be subtle but I think it will be observable. I think men will be more cautious about work related relationships whether it is a mentoring situation or socializing occasions and some of that has been SOP and part of the moving up the ladder experience. It is natural…you don’t lob grenades and not expect some smoke and fire. But give it a decade and things will relax again. In my opinion it also forces women to do a better job mentoring and supporting.
If the idiotic tax reform passes (which I believe it will), I will not be shocked as more crazy stuff could happen. Hope I am wrong on all these counts.
“Boss Grab Your Breasts? That’s Not (Legally) Harassment”
“In a case that went to federal court in the early 1990s, a woman presented evidence that her supervisor tried to kiss her on multiple occasions, placed “I love you” signs on her desk, called her a dumb blonde, put his hands on her shoulders and asked her out on dates. The trial court judge dismissed her suit, declaring that this conduct did not meet the threshold for sexual harassment, and the appeals court affirmed the dismissal.
Since then, courts have cited this case and others like it hundreds of times in rejecting sexual harassment claims. Such conduct, these courts have declared, is not serious enough to be harassment.”
Regarding Congress, here is an article about workplace culture in Congress:
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-workplace-culture-in-congress-fuels-sexual-harassment/
^^
Good article @ucbalumnus – it breaks the problem down well. I think the idea of “superstar harassers” gets to the heart of the most recent revelations.
Garrison Keillor has been accused of what may have been an inadvertent touch yet he and all his work has been erased from public broadcasting. Yet Al Franken has been accused by multiple women of more egregious behavior and he is still sitting in the US Senate. Likewise for John Conyers in the US House.
Am I the only one who finds this hypocritical?
I don’t believe Keillor was fired for touching a woman on the back. That story is more than fishy.
Maybe because they are elected and not hired? There is a process for the people that voted them into office to vote them out. The voters in their states have that option.
I’m not sure what you’re asking here, @TomSrOfBoston. Employees of businesses can be fired. Politicians have to wait for an election to be fired. Lauer, Keillor, Weinstein, Charlie Rose and the rest of the slimy group didn’t just quit. They were fired. Franken, Conyers and Trump should quit, but they won’t (except maybe Franken).
Instead of leaving now Conyers will announce he will not seek another term. He should leave now.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
I’m going to consider this the definitive answer, and “suggest” no further debate on the “hypocrisy” between consequences for employees and politicians.