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Volume CXXXI, Number 21 |
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Sexual harassment panel a success
CLARE FORSTIE, TODD BUELL, CORONA BENSON
CLARE FORSTIE
There are moments in my sometimes-embittered Bowdoin career when I think
to myself, "Yeah...this is what it's about." The panel discussion
on sexual harassment was, for me, one of those moments. And, from my admittedly
idealistic standpoint, "what it's about" is simply this: that
a good part of our Bowdoin educations needs to be the active engagement
of perspectives other than those we claim as our own-for the purposes
of honestly working and reworking what we think about the world.
Let me take it out of the theoretical realm a bit and address
the real gains I feel the panel has allowed us to start making. Aside
from publicly debunking the notions that both so-called "feminists"
and "conservatives" on campus are just crazies on opposite ends
of the political spectrum, I felt that the panel raised the invisible
and sometimes uncomfortable specter of the "culture of Bowdoin."
It allowed folks to consider-if only briefly-the fact that there's something
very fundamental about Bowdoin's social atmosphere that continues to make
sexual harassment and assault at best invisible and at worst acceptable.
Sexual harassment and sexual assault do happen at Bowdoin,
but they remain on the down-low. Why? After participating in the panel,
it's clear to me that there's no single response. Concrete gains from
the panel included the proposition of an anonymous report form for sexual
harassment similar to the one already available for sexual assault, further
discussion of the fuzzy line between sexual harassment and flirting or
"showing interest," and clarification of sexual harassment and
assault policies-for example, in cases where alcohol is involved (see
the Student Handbook, available online, for more information).
From where I'm standing (and I plant my feet firmly in the
"feminist" identity for several reasons), the panel successfully
addressed what is often billed as "merely" a "women's issue"
in ways that made sense to self-described feminists and non-feminists
alike. My hope is that-to borrow a phrase from UCC doctrine-such "open
and affirming" discourse will allow individuals from all locations
on the political spectrum to consider extremely important but oft-marginalized
issues like sexual harassment. The panel indicated that these issues are,
indeed, not simply "women's issues"; rather, they inform the
experiences of the women and men of the Bowdoin community.
And once again-thanks to all who participated in the discussion
with open minds and a desire to make things better. Y'all rock my world.
TODD BUELL
Our panel discussion was a success beyond anything I could have imagined.
Not only did the campus show a favorable interest in the subject matter,
but contributions from both panel and audience members were beneficial
in gauging the problem of sexual harassment at Bowdoin and finding solutions.
One good idea suggested at the panel was the installment of anonymous
sexual harassment report forms like the ones currently provided by the
Dean's office for sexual assault. Dean Bradley said the office had never
considered such a proposal but felt it was definitely something worth
pondering.
I believe anonymous report forms are a good idea but we
must not hastily implement them without specifically articulating both
their appropriate and inappropriate use. Since the forms will be anonymous,
the student body must understand that one cannot use them for adjudicatory
purposes. One cannot make formal accusations against someone anonymously.
That is a basic tenet not only of our constitution, but also of our school's
judicial code.
Therefore survivors should still be encouraged to speak
to a dean about incidents where they have been victimized by sexual harassment,
since such conferences are the only avenue for a formal resolution of
the problem-whether through mediation or punitive action. Nonetheless,
if simply describing an incident without using names makes a survivor
more comfortable, that option should be available in lieu of a formal
meeting with a dean.
After the panel, someone approached me and said that the
panel should go to the Middle East and help them find common ground in
their conflict. Though that task may best be left to Colin Powell and
other professional diplomats, I was honored to know that the audience
appreciated our attempt to address a contentious topic in an open and
respectful manner.
CORONA BENSON
Through my (almost) four years at Bowdoin, I have thought a lot about
the usefulness of academic tools. What is the true meaning and value of
engaging in academic discourse? How is it applicable to the "real
world?"
One of the essential criticisms that I have always had and
continue to have for certain forms of academic language and dialogue is
that it doesn't reach people-it is too removed from individual lives and
realities. And if it can't reach people, then how can it ever be effective?
By replacing purely emotional reactions with discussion
founded in academic ideas, Todd, Clare, and I were able to communicate
about the intensely personal issue of sexual harassment in a respectful
and non-reactionary way. The panel on sexual harassment that we (and others)
put together was an attempt-I think a successful one-at opening up that
dialogue to the wider community.
College gives us the opportunity to grow academically by
questioning our perceptions of the world. But, perhaps more importantly,
it gives us the space to do so through the process of questioning the
opinions of others and having them challenge ours.
As we all discovered by way of the panel, Bowdoin is a community
that is far more open to this process that many of us realize.
I therefore strongly encourage any and all Bowdoin students
to use the academic tools that this institution gives us and apply them
to both public and private discussion about differing viewpoints; it is
these interactions that make living and learning in a small community
a valuable experience.