I know I haven’t posted here in a while. But the recent
furor over Donald Trump’s hot-mic reminded me of a story that is not
particularly flattering but maybe needs to see the light of day.
It was my first or second year and there was definitely
a locker-room culture thriving at the Place. Certain male staff members would
ask generously endowed female students to deliver a note to another member of
the club. The least offensive one that I can remember went something like, “Check
out the knockers on this one.” In the incident I observed (I was in another
teacher’s classroom), the receiving party smirked, wrote something to add on,
and sent the girl on to another staff member.
I did observe the players huddling together on occasion,
guffawing and chortling like schoolboys, if schoolboys guffawed and chortled, There
were certain favorite messengers but several students apparently qualified. I
was quietly, but obviously, appalled and evidently was denied membership in a
group I would never have joined, even if asked.
Disgusting, you say? Absolutely. But if you think it’s
only because these were young women who were also students, you’re missing the
point and bigger picture. Sexism and misogyny were perhaps more prevalent then
(we hadn’t even started debating the Equal Rights Amendment yet) than today,
but, obviously those attitudes are not just lurking in the darker corners, but
occasionally come strutting into the open.
I guess my question is, how would you feel if it were
your daughter or sister who was the object (the absolutely correct word) of
those kinds of words and actions? I know my answer.
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