Vote on Desiree Davidson's Story
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?
I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.
Sexual Harassment
At my former job, I experienced sexual harassment from a senior employee. I was not the only female in the office to be on the receiving end of inappropriate comments, jokes and touches, but I was the only person to report this to Human Resources.
I went to a meeting once and there were pictures of naked women as part of this person's presentation.
I had been passed over for more than one promotion by people with less seniority, experience, and knowledge but what really was the last straw was the rampant sexual harassment.
I had a coworker who consistently asked me out on dates (despite my telling him I wasn't interested).
I wasn't cautious enough and was "caught" so I came out. Then some company employees harassed me. I got everything from the men asking, "Can I watch?" to unwanted advances like, "You need a real man.
A mutual contact set up a client meeting....at a strip club!
Once I was at a trade show conference in Las Vegas with a senior vice president. About 20 of us were sitting around a dinner and the senior vice president said, "I got an idea, let's go around the table and see which woman can best fake an orgasm.
During business trips my boss would always ask for the room right next to mine. He would knock on the adjoining door and slip me notes asking where I was.
When I was doing an internship at a large automobile manufacturing company a colleague placed a playboy magazine in front of me with the center fold open.
When I was working for a pharmaceutical company, I went on a sales call with one of the directors. After we left the field, he said, "Let's go have a drink and maybe we can get something to eat.
