Some people think if they throw enough words of the “what if” or “but then” variety, anything can be twisted out of shape enough to render even the most toxic subject harmless.
Take sexual harassment.
The presumption on the part of some men that a woman is there for their entertainment underlies the casual fecklessness of the entire frat-boy mentality. They excuse themselves with all manner of absurdity. “She was there to party” “her clothes” “she didn’t say no” “she laughed.”
That last one gets me every time.
I worked with a man for nine years who used that as his justification for a level of “flirtation” that bordered on intimidation.…