Straight Up The Middle

Ending the #MeToo era

By Cara Cromwell
Posted 10/18/17

The end of the Sox’ season is always a dismal time and it seems especially dark this year, since the path to how “we’ll get ‘em next year” is not well lit. I was …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Straight Up The Middle

Ending the #MeToo era

Posted

The end of the Sox’ season is always a dismal time and it seems especially dark this year, since the path to how “we’ll get ‘em next year” is not well lit. I was recently taunted by one of my favorite Yankees fans, Frank the Plumber, who pointed out that Aaron Judge is just going to get better. Yes Frank he will, and by the way are the Yankees still paying A-Roid? As far as I am concerned, the Yankees will be “back” and the steroid era in baseball ends when his contract is paid off at the end of 2017.

The story of Hollywood’s biggest lech, Harvey Weinstein, has launched another era that I’m calling the #MeToo era. During the last few days women have been posting their stories of harassment and assault using the hashtag #MeToo. It’s been cathartic for some and maybe enlightening for others but the very cynical me sees no reason why things will change for women in the workplace — or any other place where predatory behavior is acceptable.

The only thing about the Weinstein tale that surprised me is that anyone was surprised. It’s just not hard to believe that the most powerful man in Hollywood is a complete pig, or that he forced himself on so many women, or that so many have stayed silent about his verbal harassment or physical assaults for so long. Was anyone really shocked to learn that a wealthy middle-aged man took advantage of so many young, attractive women? There was no point in coming forward — he would have crushed their careers and said that they were willing to trade favors for stardom. Look at what happened to Monica Lewinsky. Her aggressor was a serial sexual predator and she was blamed for tempting him. I think I came of age thinking that this is actually how the world works — certainly the political world — and that women really just had a choice whether to take the crap and grow a thick skin or pick a different career.

I had my first of too many career #MeToo moments when I was 19 and working on my first campaign. One of the consultants told several of my colleagues in a very southern drawl that I was “a little nymph” and “exuded sexuality.” My colleagues — all men in their late 20s — all thought this was pretty funny and shared it with me, so I laughed too, but I was pretty sick about it. This was my first job and I wanted to do well. What had I done? Was I too friendly? Was I dressed inappropriately? Did I say something? I called him Mr. and not by his first name, so I didn’t think I was too familiar with him. As these thoughts haunted me for the days, weeks, months and now years later, it took me a while — and several more #MeToo moments — to realize that I did nothing wrong. Some men (and thankfully not all men) are just wired wrong.

Major League Baseball cracked down on steroid use to end its grip on the sport. I’m not so naïve to think that the gross tale of Harvey Weinstein is going to reshape workplace behavior anytime soon, but if #MeToo makes our good male colleagues aware and gives more women a voice, maybe we’ll get ‘em next year.

Cara Cromwell is a public affairs consultant with more than twenty years experience managing issues campaigns for corporations, non-profits, associations, coalitions and candidates on both sides of the aisle.  An unaffiliated voter, serial ticket-splitter and enthusiastic Red Sox fan, she believes that in politics — and baseball — game changing action occurs in the middle, creating opportunity on the ball field  and compromise and coalition-building in the halls of power. Visit her blog, Straight Up The Middle, at straightupthemiddle.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter @cmcromwell.






Cara Cromwell

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.