Work After #MeToo

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The hand on the thigh. The creepy come-on. The lingering leer. These are some of the milder forms of sexual harassment that women have been reporting in the wake of the #MeToo outpouring. Other women have made allegations of sexual assault and even rape at the office.

While once such accusations would be met with — at most — a monetary settlement and a non-disclosure agreement, today they are more likely to be publicized and investigated. Some have welcomed this change but are worried it won’t last. Others are worried #MeToo has gone too far already, and that perpetrators of harassment aren’t getting a fair chance to defend themselves — or that the movement will spark a backlash that’s ultimately worse for women.

We talk with Joan Williams about history and the law, Amy Gallo about different ways to say “This is making me uncomfortable,” and Michael Kimmel about how men can be allies.

Guests:

Joan C. Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law at UC Hastings College of the Law and founding director of the Center for WorkLife Law.

Amy Gallo, HBR contributing editor and author of the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict.

Michael S. Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Stony Brook University, and founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities.

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