One of South Australia’s most influential women has advocated the ‘ostrich’ approach when it comes to dealing with sexual bias in the workplace: ignore it, and it will go away.
Opposition leader Isobel Redmond was speaking at a women’s leadership function in Adelaide when she proposed flight instead of fight.
“I think it is easier a lot of the time to just try to ignore the discrimination and get on with being the best councillor you can be, or the best whatever it is, and ask intelligent questions and … I think you’ll find the discrimination will just disappear,” she said.
But she went even further, adding that women who used legal channels to fight discrimination tended to make people hate them.
“In 40 years in the law, I’d have to say that by and large, those who avoid the legal path often are better off,” she said.
“I think a lot of the time the hard yards is done by not looking at it as your own personal situation but rather that by taking the line that you’ll do the best you can, to do the best job you can you do help to break down the barriers for the next woman that comes along.
“Whereas if you take that legal approach then very likely all you’ll do is entrench the hatred of women in the very people whose minds you’re trying to change.”
She pointed out there was a difference between discrimination and sexual harassment or bullying.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said she did not agree with Ms Redmond’s comments that discrimination should be ignored.
“Without a critical mass of complaints being lodged, behavioural changes will not take place, attitudes will not change and sex discrimination will not be reduced,” she said.
– Mia Freedman wrote about her experience being sexually harassed at work here.
What do you think: do women really do more harm by speaking out against sex discrimination in the workplace?
Top Comments
As someone who has first-hand experience, and has gone down the litigious path (more than once), I have to say that I found it pretty much no more than a sham process.
I wish I knew what the answer was. While I'm not a fan of the apathy approach (as suggested here), I can attest that the comments in this article are quite valid, as I've experienced this first-hand...! Most employers will see you as a threat the moment you use any term like 'harassment', 'discrimination', or 'bullying', and generally rampant victimisation will ensue.
However, I will say that things can and will only improve when those courageous few put themselves on the line for the sake of inspiring change. Their actions are truly heroic and too bad they don't get the credit they truly deserve for standing up for such an honourable and worthy cause.....
Women who "took the legal path" in the past are the reason sexual discrimmination in the workplace is not as prevalent as it was. A man can not walk up to Ms Redmond and pinch her on the behind (if he wanted to). I'm grateful to women who have gone through the court system (a patriarchal court system in the past) to fight so my daughter doesn't have to put up with crap while she just wants to do her JOB.