For Female Astronomers, Sexual Harassment Is a Constant Nightmare
There is an interesting side effect to these issues that I think doesn&#x27;t get discussed very often. I try to be as aware as possible of these issues in the hope that I can make sure that I&#x27;m not part of the problem. As such I make a concerted effort to give anyone that works for me equal opportunities for advancement, and when in doubt I try to err on the side of the person who&#x27;s in a marginalized class. I also try to make a habit of publicly recognizing good work that I see from any one in the company, and again I make an extra effort to recognize the work done by those in marginalized classes.<p>I&#x27;m also very choosy in general about who I make friends with, or who I interact with on anything other than a professional level. As a rule, I don&#x27;t interact socially with women in the workplace. The primary reason is that it&#x27;s more important to me to not be labelled a sexual predator &#x2F; harasser than it is to have female friends. (I am married, but I acted basically the same at work when I was single.) There are just too many ambiguities in what is considered sexual harassment for me to feel comfortable putting my reputation on that line.<p>For example, it&#x27;s not at all uncommon for me to comment to a male co-worker who comes in to work dressed up more than usual &#x27;looking sharp, man!&#x27; or something along those lines. Would that be sexual harassment if I said that to a woman? Probably not on the face of it, but what if she has just (unbeknownst to me) endured harassment from another co-worker about her looks - then I could see my comment adding to the fire. Or what if I without thinking said something that implied that her dress would make her a more valuable employee or help her get that promotion or whatever. So, I just avoid it altogether. I recognize that my position may keep me from being part of the problem but also prevents me from being a part of the solution because I won&#x27;t be aware of problems or able to offer meaningful support. I&#x27;m not sure what else to do.