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I was reading a piece from NBC News, where they asked people how their life at work had changed because of it. Of course, the movement has done a lot of good for empowering women in the workplace, but it would appear the impact isn't universally positive for some. Nearly all the men indicated that they reduced or minimized their contact with women in the workplace, and at least one woman answered that it had made it harder to have one-on-one conversations she needed with male investors in order to get funding. It seems many men fear being punished or losing their jobs over something that's misconstrued as sexual harassment.

What say you, Wintreath community? Is their fear justified, or are they overreacting to the movement?

I am not sure.  I agree that there has definitely been benefits although the negatives that I have heard were just people criticizing the movement.  I feel like the fears could be both justified and overreactions. 

I found the woman seeking VC funding and the professor's anecdotes most interesting, because of the sage observation they both made (the former much less obviously than the latter, and perhaps even unintentionally, since on even further reflection it seems like she's turned it around and blamed it on patriarchy) - while on the surface, it might appear to be an empowering movement, what's going to happen is that men are going to get many more opportunities than women because men make up a lot more spots in management (or any other gatekeeper roles like producer, editor, professor, whatever), and none of them are going to want to be anywhere near a potential lawsuit. And that's just going to reinforce the existing power dynamics - because if someone brings up the fact that that's discriminatory behavior, either it's thrown out on the basis of being a reasonable response to potential liability, or else they never meet anyone one-on-one again (or god forbid, privacy rights get thrown completely out the window and everyone is filmed 24/7).
I don't think that makes #MeToo bad. It's created some healthy change, although from the most cynical viewpoint possible, like most feminist causes in the modern day said change has been disproportionately benefiting wealthy white women with established careers rather than other women who are a lot more vulnerable.
But it's certainly a shining example of unintended consequences being a bitch. And will likely serve as greater fodder for all the incels out there, now raging that they can't even talk to a woman without being accused of rape while all those fucking Chads do the same shit they ever did, fuck it, might as well rape all those fucking Stacies right off the fucking bat, be the monster they make you out to be, (rambling incoherent nonsense about Elliot Rodgers' divinity). But those guys are fuckin psychos anyway.

As an aside, why the hell would someone who works from home comment on a piece about how it's affected workplace relationship? That just kind of jumped out as some grade-A narcissism.

I found the woman seeking VC funding and the professor's anecdotes most interesting, because of the sage observation they both made (the former much less obviously than the latter, and perhaps even unintentionally, since on even further reflection it seems like she's turned it around and blamed it on patriarchy) - while on the surface, it might appear to be an empowering movement, what's going to happen is that men are going to get many more opportunities than women because men make up a lot more spots in management (or any other gatekeeper roles like producer, editor, professor, whatever), and none of them are going to want to be anywhere near a potential lawsuit. And that's just going to reinforce the existing power dynamics - because if someone brings up the fact that that's discriminatory behavior, either it's thrown out on the basis of being a reasonable response to potential liability, or else they never meet anyone one-on-one again (or god forbid, privacy rights get thrown completely out the window and everyone is filmed 24/7).
I don't think that makes #MeToo bad. It's created some healthy change, although from the most cynical viewpoint possible, like most feminist causes in the modern day said change has been disproportionately benefiting wealthy white women with established careers rather than other women who are a lot more vulnerable.
But it's certainly a shining example of unintended consequences being a bitch. And will likely serve as greater fodder for all the incels out there, now raging that they can't even talk to a woman without being accused of rape while all those fucking Chads do the same shit they ever did, fuck it, might as well rape all those fucking Stacies right off the fucking bat, be the monster they make you out to be, (rambling incoherent nonsense about Elliot Rodgers' divinity). But those guys are fuckin psychos anyway.

As an aside, why the hell would someone who works from home comment on a piece about how it's affected workplace relationship? That just kind of jumped out as some grade-A narcissism.

From what I've heard, that was the immediate reaction to #metoo in South Korea. Women were fired from major positions en masse and it's basically been taken as an excuse to not hire women anymore. Because obviously it's women accusing men of sexually harassing and raping them that are the problem.

I suppose that should be the expected reaction to a movement like #MeToo in a patriarchal capitalist society. but it's still deeply disheartening.

From what I've heard, that was the immediate reaction to #metoo in South Korea. Women were fired from major positions en masse and it's basically been taken as an excuse to not hire women anymore. Because obviously it's women accusing men of sexually harassing and raping them that are the problem.

I suppose that should be the expected reaction to a movement like #MeToo in a patriarchal capitalist society. but it's still deeply disheartening.

Did that happen in America too? The firing of women in major positions and such? I've been curious about what the results of #MeToo would be for awhile.

I am incredibly skeptical that that actually happened. I cannot find one account of that actually happening. What is your source for that?

I am incredibly skeptical that that actually happened. I cannot find one account of that actually happening. What is your source for that?

You might be surprised, in America I feel like sexism has to run under the radar so to speak because you'll get shit on so hard if it becomes provable... However, in many East Asian countries racism/sexism remain perfectly acceptable, though I haven't researched SK specifically, mostly Japan/China

I am incredibly skeptical that that actually happened. I cannot find one account of that actually happening. What is your source for that?

You might be surprised, in America I feel like sexism has to run under the radar so to speak because you'll get shit on so hard if it becomes provable... However, in many East Asian countries racism/sexism remain perfectly acceptable, though I haven't researched SK specifically, mostly Japan/China

Oh, I know sexism is alive and well in South Korea. I live in Asia, after all. I'm just skeptical about the mass firings alleged here without a source. I looked, I could find nothing resembling mass firings in South Korea.

I am incredibly skeptical that that actually happened. I cannot find one account of that actually happening. What is your source for that?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/08/south-korean-women-shunned-work-men-fear-metoo-movement/

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180315000548

Misremembered. My apologies.

It's not that South Korean women are being fired, but that male workers are adopting the "Pence rule" of not interacting with women. Which in workplace environments as you can imagine is extremely damaging to womens careers and work productivity.

Ah. Yes, that I do believe. Yes, it is an issue. North Asia is pretty paternal.

This is a plot that has done more harm than good. Men are literally afraid to be alone in the same room as women because that woman could claim “rape” and that man is out of a job. Even if found innocent, his future is ruined. Don’t you see how devastating that is to society, when men are literally in fear of women? When half the population holds a noose over the other half, getting them fired from their jobs, their careers ruined, all based on a claim?

This explains pretty well. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DL54ib4-fJA

I mean, as someone who's lived as a man for over 26 years, I've never been afraid to be in a room alone with a woman because I thought that woman would claim rape. So I'll call bs on that.

I am, however, afraid to be in a room alone with anyone because I'm awkward.

I can see this being exploited by some women, but this sounds like it's being dragged way out of proportion. In a country like this one, where women are absolutely right to be afraid of most men because the rape rates are so high and the government isn't interested in doing much about it, it would actually sound like the lesser of two evils.

It's one of those movements I support because it encourages people to speak up about sexual harassment and rape.

However, I do agree that it has the potential to go way too far and have people cry foul for their own advantage...rather than it be because it actually happened.

That being said, I'm no less weary than I was before to be around women.  But that's mainly because if a woman cried foul because she wanted people to believe I raped her, she'd probably get laughed out of the room since I wouldn't touch the female body with a 10 foot pole unless it was fully clothed and for a short friendly hug.

On the other hand, you get stories like this:

Days before she was killed by a former romantic partner and registered sex offender, University of Utah senior Lauren McCluskey called Salt Lake City police to ask why they had not pursued her complaints of harassment.

As Laurentus said, there is the real possibility of false harassment claims being abused, but if reports aren't being taken seriously and investigated (which, if generalized, the above notion helps spread/promote), there's the very real possibility of people's lives being ruined or ended completely.