This Book Is an Event, Prof. Muta!
--- Book Review for “That Love Is Sexual Harassment, Boss!”
It’s been nearly
a quarter-century since the first sexual harassment lawsuit in Japan (the
Fukuoka Sexual Harassment Case in 1992). Until then there was no such term or
idea of sexual harassment in this country. And one of the key players who got
it entrenched here as sekuhara was Proffessor Kazue Muta, the author of this book.
You might think
there must be a lot of rebukes to men in this book if Ms. Muta, a renowned
feminist, says, “. . . is sexual harassment!” But, in fact, I don’t think I’m
the only one who felt her compassion for those doing the harassing at the back
of her deep insight. For example, she comments like this, referring to somebody
accidentally saying or doing sexually discriminating things:
“If you are an
ordinary man, it’s possible that you will occasionally be a little under the
influence of drink, and might let slip some barnyard words in front of your
female staff. That’s for sure a yellow card for sexual harassment. But when
you’re sober the next morning and realize you said the wrong thing, just
apologize straightforwardly. Then it will hardly be a serious affair.” (p.54)
This remark of
Ms. Muta must come as such a relief to not a few people (perhaps including me).
For a long time
there has been common belief that feminists are man-haters. But I believe this
book demonstrates that a feminist attitude which can provide women with a comfortable
work environment and support their lives will lead to a better society for men
also.
Actually, many
sexual harassment cases are not fundamentally black and white. But most of them
end up being “black” after the longtime development of troubled relationships
between colleagues, a boss and a subordinate, or a teacher and a student. (p.
136)
This book is full
of practical lessons about things such as, “the deep division between men and
women,” “the way things become complicated,” “sexual harassment advisories and
sexual harassment warnings,” “three requirements of an office romance,” and
even “in case you should be sued.”
Professor Chizuko
Ueno recommends this book as “a household necessity like Home Health
Handbook.” Absolutely.
This is a must-read not only for men, but also for women in order to understand
the feelings of “insensitive” middle-aged men.
I feel guilty
that I read through the whole book with such amusument despite the matter’s
life-changing seriousness.
I bet this book
will be an event in the sociology world. At the end of this book there is a
story of Ms. Muta’s “personal experience of secondary damage from sexual
harassment,” which signals her long, hard, everlasting battle against sexual
harassement.
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Original article written by moomin (http://wan.or.jp/book/?p=6940)
Translated by A. Tawara
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