As a woman in business, I know from personal experience how it feels like to be discriminated against for the only reason of my being female. I can’t even express how happy I am to not be in an office anymore because now I have more chances to refuse to take this kind of attitude. After all, there are always more reasonable people to work with, so turning my back on misogynistic swine is a valid business strategy.
However, not everyone has this luxury and if you are one of the millions of women facing sexual discrimination in the workplace, this is what you need to do:
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Talk to a trusted but impartial party.
You need to do this to get perspective on the situation. If they agree that this is definitely discrimination, proceed with taking it up with your boss or a lawyer (or both). -
Document every instance of discrimination as you’ll need to offer some evidence for your lawyer to use.
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Talk to your lawyer so they explain to you exactly what you can achieve in this situation and can advise how to talk to the offending party.
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Talk to your boss/manager/the jerk of a colleague who is causing all this. Explain your position and demand (reasonably) to cease this kind of behavior. It’s very important not to let your temper flare during this discussion. If you feel the temper rising, think of what your lawyer would say.
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If nothing gets solved and you have a solid case on your hands, sue!
NOTE! Talking to a lawyer at the beginning is essential because this step is always a possibility and you need to make sure you don’t make any legal mistakes when discussing the matter with your Human Resources department.
Finally, remember that while discrimination doesn’t make the list of good reasons to leave your job, sometimes it’s the least stressful thing to do. Don’t feel ashamed to take this route if it’s a valid possibility. You should always put your wellbeing first.
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