It's been a while since I've posted (and Lord knows I've got several things I need to get off my chest) but this whole issue sparked some annoyance and I had to sound off asap.
By this point, I'm sure most folks have read about, heard about, seen about Deborahlee Lorenzana, the woman banker suing her former employer, Citibank, for firing her over (for lack of better word) being "too hot." They allege that her clothing was "distracting" male employees. In a nutshell, she was harassed and ridiculed for wearing clothes that they deemed were too tight, inappropriate and unprofessional. Most recently (as seen in the above video) there are critiques arising that insinuate she somehow "deserved" her treatment because she opted for cosmetic, plastic surgery.
So, her decision to enhance her body, somehow merited the negative attention? Or, my other fave, her clothing was distracting? Since when are turtlenecks and Ann Taylor suits risque?
Hold up...why aren't we talking about the real issue here?
It's not about Deborahlee or her surgeries or her gear. The woman, while attractive, isn't "too hot" or distracting from her work environment. The real issue? Men who don't know how to control themselves or act around attractive women. And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that group of complaints includes women she formally worked for and with.
None of them--male or female-- knew (or know) how to act or deal or feel with having an attractive woman who didn't mimic a man's professional attire or posture in a workspace aka wore form fitting clothing and didn't de-feminize herself to maintain her professional position.
In short, it's not about her or how she dressed. It's about them and their own issues and stereotypes of what they think corporate women should look and dress like. Not to mention what role and level they believe feminine and attractive women are supposed to occupy.
And no, I wouldn't be surprised if women at her office were on board with the men. I love my sisters, pero I know quite well how catty and spiteful we women can be towards one another. The stares, the gasps, the "no she didn't!" hisses that follow when you see someone wearing or presenting themselves in a way you personally deem inappropriate.
I'm just saying, this is a classic case of the "it's not you, it's me!" break-up scenario. Except in this case, it's not a romantic relationship, it's a professional one. But here's the big mistake, you're dealing with a protected class of people and a big, fat lawsuit. Guess the split won't be as easy as they thought...
