The XX Factor: What women really think.

"Fixing the System From Within Can Be Over-rated"

Laurie Ruettimann, the author of the original Lemondrop post about sexual harassment in the workplace that Bonnie commented on yesterday, has responded to her in the Fray:

Thanks for the link to the article on Lemondrop. I'm not advocating that women accept harassment. I'm not suggesting that you should quit before you find another job. I am not saying that Human Resources departments are incapable of managing sexual harassment investigations (although many of them are incapable of anything other than eating donuts).

Here is what I'm saying.

*You are responsible for your own career.

As feminists, we often want to fix the system from within. I've been there, and fixing the system from within can be overrated. Thank goodness for those trailblazers and fighters who sue the shit out of companies. Those women make work better for us.

Unfortunately, many of us don't have the means to hire a lawyer and fight a long and brutal legal fight that we'll most likely lose. In this age of social media and external marketplace pressures, I suggest that there is no bigger employee advocate than you. It's important to protect your own interests and act accordingly.

I'm not advocating running away from a fight. I'm an advocate for brushing the dirt of your shitty company off your shoulders.

 Fellow feminists, what do you think? Is fixing the system from within over-rated?