Pixieish
Well-Known Member
I know I previously stated that I wasn't going to share my opinion, but I just can't keep quiet on this one. (Please bear with me...I know this is long.)
Rotten behavior on the part of bosses is rampant, especially in niche industries. The way the people in power in those types of businesses see things, it's extremely difficult to change jobs in that industry, so you won't do anything about their bad behavior just so you can stay gainfully employed. I was once given a terrible 30-day review just because the boss didn't want to take me off probationary status and give me full pay. I was told "You'd better work like you're worth it". Mind you, I'd never had anything but stellar reviews prior to that, and when I asked a couple of trusted coworkers if they thought I'd been slacking, they were shocked. I chose to keep my head down, dig in, and prove my worth. (I also happen to be a graphic designer, but my skills extend far beyond just that.)
Having said all of the above, AND having worked in several businesses in which I was usually the only female...she could have handled herself better. Is it horrible that she was treated the way she was? Absolutely. It was also horrible that she went through so many of the things she did prior to and during her employment at Pixar. HOWEVER...she needs to accept responsibility for herself here, as well. Two of the stories she related through her essay exist simply because she put herself in a vulnerable position - the amusement park ride, and getting drunk at a party and going off into the woods with a group of older boys. (I also get the impression that the boy at the amusement park was older and more experienced than she.)
Since the age of 13 (I'm now 46), I have worked in various jobs in which women were either the extreme rarity or worked in the offices, while I was in production, on the road doing installations or site surveys (often on construction sites, and very often without a co-worker), or in a separate part of the building entirely. I won't lie and say there were never inappropriate comments or behavior, but I managed to never be fired and at the same time made it clear that there was no way I would tolerate that kind of behavior. Mind you, I'm 5'5" tall and *might* weigh in at 125 lbs. soaking wet, so its not like I'm some big, intimidating person. There are ways to discourage bad behavior from men without finding yourself caught up in water cooler rumors or, at worst, forced to leave your job.
My overall impression is that in her earlier stories she was extraordinarily naive (obviously no one taught her how the big, dangerous world works), later in life chose to continuously play the victim, and when she saw an opportunity for her "15 minutes", she took it. Lasseter had already been placed on leave when she wrote this, and while the nature of the culture at Pixar needed to be brought out into the open, the world didn't need to hear her life story. As someone else mentioned, she didn't even name the other man she was accusing even though she no longer works with him. Our actions (and inaction) are choices, and hers are clear throughout her essay.
Could it be that I remained unscathed because I am of a different generation and was raised differently? Maybe. Could it be that self-preservation is a stronger instinct for me? That could be too. However, her admission that she'd witnessed several instances of abuse and violence towards women during her formative years and her self-description as an "awkward, ugly-duckling-type tomboy" (I was the epitome of "awkward tom-boy" until about 12 years old) lead me to believe that her self-esteem and self-worth were damaged early in her life, which in and of themselves can lead to all sorts of incorrect thinking about one's self and poor decision-making. That entire essay reads like a "poor me, feel bad for me!", and that seems to be a "thing" these days, so I'm taking her essay with a grain of salt.
