So, you’ve just found out someone in your team is an Andrew Tate fan? Fuuuuuuuu*k
Happy #internationalwomensday everyone! Right, let's just get to it...
The rise of misogyny in today’s pop culture is scary. I’m not saying it wasn’t there before, but let’s just say that, like a stubborn ingrown hair on the chin of an incel, it’s remained unchecked, unwashed, and has gone viral. Apologies for that rank analogy.
But what happens when the Andrew Tates, the MAWs, and the general ‘femoid fighters’ start creeping into work. And let me assure you, they’re there. What do you do as an employer?
It’s really easy to tie yourself in knots about whether it’s your place to comment, let alone act, on where the line between ‘protected belief’ and ‘culture grenade’ sits.
Let’s think for a moment about the impact one person can have. If someone brings a lovely cake into your office, or declares their pregnancy, or that they just got a dog, what’s the social and emotional impact of that among the team? Pretty big right? So if you have one person who decides work is a good place to talk about > insert incel content here < that shit is going to spread.
Immediately, you’ve got y’self a problem. Many, actually. You can’t control what people do/say/think, but you can control how those things are discussed at work. Additionally, leaving these things unchecked could lead to all sorts of claim risks: discrimination, harassment, constructive dismissal - and rightly so.
Employees have a right to hold onto a ‘philosophical or religious belief’, but can we reasonably lump misogyny into that category? Well, you decide… As the law stands, the belief is protected if it's:
genuinely held;
a belief, not an opinion or viewpoint based on the present state of information available;
about a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour;
has a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion, and importance; and
worthy of respect in a democratic society, is not incompatible with human dignity, and does not conflict with the fundamental rights of others.
I’ll just leave that last one to air for a sec…
Got the ‘it’s a bit extreme but it’s none of my business’ feeling? Wrong. It’s your business, and that’s exactly why you have to act.
Every case will warrant its own individual solution, but if you have an inkling that something a bit smelly is going on, you might want to think about following these three actions as a guide.
Step 1
Tell them. Speak to the person spouting the BS, tell them that not only is this type of conversation inappropriate for the workplace, but it’s also creating a hostile environment. Tell them it must stop immediately or they may face disciplinary action.
Step 2
Take action. Attack the issue as far as you can… I would suggest putting this person (and invite others if they want) on some compulsory training in bias, fighting misogyny and being an ally.
Step 3
Monitor. If it happens again, remind yourself of that ‘zero tolerance’ policy you promised your team.
And of course... if you need a bit of extra help, get some HR support!
Reader note: I know the picture doesn't fit, but honestly who needs to look at Tate on International Women's Day? So instead, please enjoy this picture of my super awesome firefighter friends and I on #brightonpride day.
