By Rev. Carey Grady, Contributing Writer
The recent domino effect of the fall of public figures in the entertainment and journalism industries has sparked the conversation of sexual harassment, equality, and equity for women in the workplace. Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly, Billy Bush, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, David Sweeney, Brett Ratner, Glenn Thrush, Mark Halperin, Charlie Rose, and now Matt Lauer have felt the wrath of companies and organizations not tolerating inappropriate behavior at the workplace.
Historically, black men have been held accountable for sexual misconduct when race is involved, whether they were guilty or not. Emmett Till was beaten, murdered, and thrown in the Tallahatchie River for a whistle that never occurred. Bill Cosby’s trial moved from the court of public opinion to the criminal courts and Congressman John Conyers has lost his career and legacy in the twilight of his years. Russell Simmons had to step down from his companies because of questionable behavior. Till’s death was definitely unmerited. Cosby and Conyers are not innocent but the public backlash has forced some sort of accountability.
While woman speaking up about sexual harassment is commendable, some of the persons who have been fired were fired after their companies already settled cases on their behalf. I have the strange feeling that the recent barrage of firings was more economic and financially driven than morally based. When you think about it, it would be easier for a company to fire the employee than to hold onto them in spite of the employee’s monetary value to the corporation. If the person is fired, the company can hide behind wanting to do what is right as it relates to appropriate behavior in the workplace between the sexes. The company saves themselves from having to defend the accused and possibly having to settle on their behalf. By the company dumping the accused, they are not liable.
Whatever the underlying cause of the firings, the most important thing to come out of this is the intolerance we should have for sexual harassment. This is a milestone in American history, a positive and plus for those standing up and speaking out for equality. This is a defining moment, yet race still comes to the forefront. The persons fired have all been white; and to our knowledge, the accusers are also white. This does not mean that this does not happen in the black community. However, have minority voices complained about sexual harassment and not been heard?
I would dare say the first women sexually harassed in America were black women. The black woman has been objectified as a sex object since she arrived on the shores of America compliments of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. For hundreds of years, black women have been harassed and raped, long before sexual harassment became en vogue and catastrophe at the same time.
In some circles, African American women are allowed entrance into the upper echelons of some organizations. She is a double minority: black and female or female and black. She is the great face for solving diversity issues. When employers want to diversify their workforce, they go to the African American female especially, if the organization or the boss has psychological fears of the black male and black male sexual prowess (a historical conversation that needs to be explored). With the black female, you can get two minorities for the price of one.
In the military, church, educational systems, banking industry, politics, law, and journalism, the African American female can become a soldier (either a non-commissioned officer or commissioned officer), pastor, denominational leader, bishop, principal, superintendent, loan officer, branch manager, vice-president, president, political director, campaign director, U.S. senator, lawyer, judge, news reporter, and anchor. However, in corporate America, the African American female still pales. She may get hired but opportunities to serve as president, vice-president, or CEO are minimal and almost obsolete. Think about our great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers, sisters, wives, nieces, cousins, and friends who have had to put up with inappropriate behavior from white men and some black men and whose cries for help have never been heard.
In all honesty, sexual misconduct is part of the American fabric of society. In fact, it was legal, especially concerning the African American female. It will take a lot for this patriarchal practice to end. Undoing generational practices is challenging. We should applaud the recent firings and this watershed moment in American history and acknowledge we still have a long way to go.
The Rev. Carey A. Grady is the pastor of Reid Chapel AME Church in Columbia, South Carolina (www.reidchapel.org). He believes words have power. He regularly blogs at www.careyagrady.com.
