Women’s lives matter. Don’t they count too?

stopping harassment - women's empowerment
harassment in its many forms and types

During this football season we’ve been hearing a lot about how black lives matter with players “taking a knee” during the national anthem. I’ve been thinking a lot about that this month. Not so much about how black lives, but about how women’s lives matter – or do they?

Women’s lives matter – midlife empowerment

My reflections are a reaction to the allegations in a New York Times article, published earlier this month, stating that Harvey Weinstein has been sexually harassing women. Not just one…but, apparently hundreds of women, including actress Ashley Judd.

It kind of makes me snicker. Not what he did, of course, but the supposedly stunned reaction who are shocked by his behavior – as though nobody knew that the man is a pig with no morality. I’ll bet there isn’t a Victory Chick reading this who believes that. And I’ll bet you don’t know that Weinstein’s own company says they didn’t know it was going on – for 20 years. C’mon.

Actually, as more and more women are coming forward, it seems that everybody knew. For years!

Women’s Harassment Goes Beyond Hollywood

And it isn’t doesn’t just happen in Hollywood – though so many of those Hollywood types always seem so morally outraged when those things happen outside of Hollywood. I mean, we heard plenty of hate in January by so many famous women – including Ashley Judd – against the new president. Why did it take so long to speak out against Weinstein – and how many women did Weinstein abuse during the years when Judd – and other actresses – didn’t speak out?

And it’s not just in Hollywood…

Harassment – It’s impacted most midlife women

What Victory Chick hasn’t had some power-imbued Neanderthal do something inappropriate? Or had a female coworker warn you not to go to the storeroom with a co-worker, or go out for drinks with the boss…or something like that? I’ll bet you have!

I worked for a dentist once – a guy about as appealing, physically and socially, as Harvey Weinstein. That married dentist used to pinch my butt. And, one time, when he was fixing a tooth and I was under nitrous oxide…and, I guess he thought I wouldn’t notice or remember – he grabbed my boobs. By that time, I was already looking for another job, but I couldn’t find one and couldn’t quit because, at 23-24 years old, I needed the money.

The best thing that came from that bad experience was that I got laid-off. I suspect it was because I said something to my co-worker, she must have said something to him, and he got scared.

So he laid me off. When he did, it was in late May. That summer, I had a house with friends down the shore.

Turning bad experiences into a good outcome

As a result of being laid off, I got a summer job in Sea Isle, lived in Avalon for the summer and had a fabulous time. In the fall, I got my head together. In the winter, I went back to teaching. I made that bad experience work out for me. BUT, I never reported the abuse. And it was only one time of many…

I’m wondering how many of the stars who had the gross Harvey Weinstein-style experience made it work for them.

And what did you think of fashion icon Donna Karan and Mayim Bialik blaming the women? If you didn’t read those, you can find them here…though I have to say, Mayim’s comments weren’t the same kind of victim-blaming as Karan’s.
What do you think? #metoo

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What is the Victorious Woman Project?

Founded by Annmarie Kelly, the Victorious Woman Project is a female empowerment resource containing articles, classes, books, podcasts and other tools for women over 40.

blog: Victory Tips

An extensive listing of blog posts that help you take control of your life and live empowered. These articles are full of victory tips.

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