I want to make it very clear that this was not written by me. I could give the standard disclaimer about the opinions expressed here and so on but as a male, I’m not qualified to express an opinion on the topic. However, as a woman who has spent over forty years in several male dominated professions, Zee has certainly earned the right to express her opinion on the “Me Too” movement.

 I’ve always felt you have to examine both sides of a coin before passing judgement on it. With that in mind, I present a guest post written by Zee on the “Me Too” movement.

Victim, Schemer, or Liar,

by ZSS

The subject of “Me Too” has dominated the news, revealing the underbelly of women working outside of their homes. True revelations, or lots of bragging, who knows? As the subject of sex is primarily between two people, witnesses to any attack are few. If the woman (or man) who considers herself a victim doesn’t go to the police as soon as possible, it’s difficult to join in the sympathy the so-called victim seems to want.

Being slapped on the butt is a good reason to build up muscles, learn self defense instead of how to apply more makeup; pick him up after you’ve knocked him down — don’t wail six months later that you’ve been assaulted. Harassment that continues means you’ve paid attention to him. Ignore him and he’ll go away, or if it’s the boss, find another job, perhaps in an all-woman office.

Women who offer themselves to men by going to men’s hotel rooms whether invited or not, aren’t victims. They’re after something — a part in a show or an advance at their place of employment … or something. Sad that their talent or their dedication to their job doesn’t give them the same thing without the loss of respect. To claim they were drugged by the man is insulting. Did he sit on them, force their mouths open, and pour in whatever drug would make them relax and give him sex, which they’d already promised by going to his room? Or did he shoot them in the rear with something, or sneak it into her fifth drink? One’s imagination soars with such ideas. Apparently, jurors have no imaginations, however, or are thinking of what supper might be, or their buddies are bowling in a tournament and they’re missing it, even as they are supposed to be listening to a woman moan and whine over her physical abuse by that horrible man who drugged, then raped her. “Guilty” is the easy verdict, getting them home before dark.

Age is actually immaterial. If she’s 14 or 16 or whatever young age, it’s not difficult to get him jailed immediately Should she have one bruise, should the rape kit agree with her, should his attitude give him away, all help put him behind bars, and a permanent addition made to his name — sex offender.

If that same 14 or 16 year old has spent her young years preparing for “taking” men, if her mother or guardian hoping for a huge settlement, helps her look 21, both should be confined. The teen, placed somewhere that she can learn one doesn’t mingle with older men, one doesn’t drink alcohol, use drugs, one doesn’t offer herself to men. Her handler, be that parent, guardian, teacher, or  mentor, should be arrested, tried, sentenced, dubbed a sex offender.

One doesn’t say “I’m 21, old enough,” when she’s but 16, and then scream rape when $500 isn’t sufficient for probably her 5th, 10th, or more, act of prostitution. She should learn she’s better than selling her body, no matter that it seems easier than waitressing or babysitting — and it’s so “mature,” which, of course, it is not. Education is the answer, not publicity proving the whoredom.

The girls kidnapped from foreign countries and brought here or taken to some other country as slaves, to be forcibly drugged, sexually abused, are victims, and the men and women in that trade should be sent to prison forever. But “Me-Too-ers” aren’t in that class.

True victims are not the “Me Too-ers” getting the vast publicity, brought on because the celebrity or CEO or president, or whoever, wouldn’t pay continuing monetary “gifts,” or keep finding the woman roles she’s not skilled enough to hold. Perhaps the woman offering her body received the desired promotion, or maybe a part in a Broadway play, or in a popular movie or TV show, whatever she wanted, but it turned out to be temporary, her abilities not sufficient to hold the position. It’s truly criminal for a woman to call a man’s reaction to a woman’s approach to stardom or advancement a rape … or several rapes, as some of the complaining  women went back more than once to try again.

Some of the “Me Too” screamers are has-beens, seeking nothing more than publicity, and the acknowledgement that once they were wanted for their bodies, no proof available that they were wanted for their talents. Some are liars, never able to get near a celebrity, a top businessman, a highly placed military man, or a successful politician, but believing that in today’s hysteria they will be believed and added to the list of all of the whining “Me Too” women. Sad.

Yes, truly sad. I’m an old woman who, in my young prime, had my share of remarks and offers, but smiles and the word “no” stopped the advances.  I wanted more for women. I wanted equal wages, equal respect for work well done, and approval from my co-workers for being dedicated to my job, whatever it was. I worked for the amendment giving women equal rights, I fought for women to earn decent wages, I believed women had a chance to progress up the ladder, all before the “Me Too” hit the news, and successful men were being scorned and jailed for doing what they’d always done — taking advantage of opportunities. Few, if any, unsuccessful men were targeted, although their misdeeds were just as plentiful.

Now, a number of jobs are closed off to women because men work there, and the women might be inclined to seek something more than their wages. The women who are successful in today’s climate are afraid to call a man Ed or Jim; now he’s Mr. Jones or Mr. Green, because she’s suddenly Mrs. Frost, or whatever her name, instead of the Susie she has been all of her former working days. The men no longer invite her to join them at the bar after work, or eat lunch with them at the barbecue joint. They’re careful to not pat her on the shoulder, or on the back, for a job well done, and she’s scared to pat them, for fear it works both ways. They no longer joke or laugh with her. She’s suddenly the enemy.

Maybe it’s time all of you women wanting something for nothing — or advancement for sex — need to return to cooking meals for your families, cleaning your houses and your minds, becoming something rather than the nothings you appear to be. I, for one, am not proud of you for coming forward years after an affair, or even a month after you think you have been insulted.

Congratulations to all of you “Me Too-ers” for setting working women back 50 or more years, accomplishing that which women-hating, MCPs were not able to do. No potential boss can tell the difference between a potential “Me-Too-er” and a woman who can become an asset to the company. You have successfully ruined all hopes of competent, level-headed, and industrious men and women working together as congenial co-workers and friends, each doing the jobs for which they were employed.

ZSS

© 2019, Byron Seastrunk. All rights reserved.