I picked up the movie "North Country" over the weekend. Its based on the story of the nation's first class-action sexual-harassment suit, which settled in 1998, two decades after the abuse started. Although the courtroom dramatics at the end were a little--no strike-that-- a lot unbelievable, the overall film was well done. I related to what the women had gone through having had more than one boss over my long career in a male-dominated industry that thought it just fine to make comments about my physique, ogle, make sexual innuendo and even threaten my job at one time. I remember being told by other male co-workers to "lighten up" and "oh, that's just the way so & so is--he's harmless. Yeah, right. Funny that a management consultant did not see it that way and advised upper management to remedy at least one of those work situations pronto before I lost my entire sense of humor and slapped them with a lawsuit. They were lucky that at the time I was more forgiving and naive.

Unimaginable what these women had to endure in order to keep their jobs. I was fortunate in being able to have other employment options, one of which was starting my own business and becoming head-to-head competition for the worst of the idiots. No one should have to put up with this crap, but it still goes on today. The Clarence Thomas hearing was not that long ago. It was interesting to watch with my significant other who could empathize with the women, but had none of their experience and could subsequently easily accept the closing titles showing a settlement for the women. For me, it took quite some time to put the themes aside again. I hope that my daughter never have to encounter this in the job market and actually be considered for her accomplishments rather than her physical attributes.