Making STEM a better place for women

[Philip Arola]

Originally Posted by popnbrown

Ok..lots of back and forth. So I’m going to attempt to mediate. It’s evident y’all are discussing two things. Universally agreed “creepy” behavior, and normal “awkward” teenage interactions.
From my perspective (which is biased), JBotAlan raised this thread to discuss “creepy” behavior

To which it was responded:


Those posts, did in effect try to lump in “creepy” behavior with “awkward” teenage interactions, which effectively did trivialize the “Creepy” behavior, eliciting this post:

I think I agree with Amanda here, although I can see how she was a little aggressive (rightfully so). The two posts above hers kind of de-value the “creepy” behavior that girls say they experience by saying what JBotAlan said may not be creepy. Whether intentional or not, approaching what OP was saying and initially responding by saying “not all behavior is harassment” as below:

is not a good initial response because (again whether intentional or not) you’re effectively saying “between-the-lines” that what OP’s student and other girls/women are saying may not be justifiably “creepy”. That’s not being said point-blank, not written out in words, but jumping on the defense “not all behavior is creepy” implies that.
Katie gives good advice here:

There should never have been a discussion of “what is creepy” and “what is not”. We are here looking for solutions to “creepy” behavior.

At this point, I am being forced to defend my and Sperkowski's honor if you will. Rhetoric labeling us as creepy and damaging have been leveled at us personally, so it's increasingly aggravating defending this position.
Which I will lay out again: Girls should report and talk abut behavior that makes them uncomfortable. I've yet to actually have anyone point to me where we said that they should not. Maybe there was an unintentional implication somewhere, but let me reassure you, that is not what either of us meant.