All These Sex Scandals

[Vinnie]

‌@SanguinePar, I think this illustrates a little about words and the context or intent behind them?  Certainly, I may have misconstrued your intent, I suspect ‌@Teuchter may be knew what you intended but wished to illustrate how it came across?

[Vinnie]

I also think that, with the various allegations and sackings and suspensions within parliament, there needs to be clarification of what "misconduct" is.  

The automatic assumption is its sexual in nature, that may not necessarily be the case? 

 

[SanguinePar]

‌@SanguinePar, I think this illustrates a little about words and the context or intent behind them?  Certainly, I may have misconstrued your intent, I suspect ‌@Teuchter may be knew what you intended but wished to illustrate how it came across?

I doubt that, since I was responding to him, not the other way round.

[Vinnie]

Maybe?

[Teuchter]

@SanguinePar at the time of writing I had in mind the press coverage when I made the remark about equal weighting given. One example is the coverage given to Fallon brushing someone's knee was roughly equal, or perhaps greater, to that given to the story of about the rape of a Labour activist. There was also the bizarre mix found on the leaked Tory list.

Since then we have had the suicide of Carl Sargent. He could still turn out to have been a bullying rapist, but it looks like he was sacked for allegations of "unwanted contact and inappropriate touching and groping" Allegations remember.

Despite being sacked, he was not told specifically what the allegations were. No right to reply or assumption of innocence until proven guilty. On the face of it, he has paid the price for the recent headlines regarding rape allegations in the party. 

As for sexist banter about members of the opposite sex (which as Vinnie points out, cuts both ways), it is not something I come across much, if at all, these days - although admittedly I don't get out to the boozer nearly enough. In my experience I found that there did seem to be be two types of inverse correlations existing within the guys who took part enthusiastically in this kind of banter. One was with their level of intelligence, and the second tended to be with their chances of getting their end away. For a lot of them, someone that they called a slut could in reality be defined as a women who had sex with anyone but them. Saying that, I didn't find the banter offensive, just a bit pathetic normally. This is a whole different argument however in relation to sexual assualt and harassment.

[Vinnie]

Since then we have had the suicide of Carl Sargent. He could still turn out to have been a bullying rapist, but it looks like he was sacked for allegations of "unwanted contact and inappropriate touching and groping" Allegations remember.

Despite being sacked, he was not told specifically what the allegations were. No right to reply or assumption of innocence until proven guilty. On the face of it, he has paid the price for the recent headlines regarding rape allegations in the party

This really does concern me about this.  How can you be sacked but not told the reasons?  Im not an HR guru, but surely there is a massive procedural failing by the Labour Party here?

Especially given the nature of the allegations circulating Government these days, its assumed hes a sex pest - and yes, he may well be shown to be - now that was his career done and dusted, and his chances of future employment gone... 

[Vinnie]

As for sexist banter about members of the opposite sex (which as Vinnie points out, cuts both ways), it is not something I come across much, if at all, these days - although admittedly I don't get out to the boozer nearly enough. In my experience I found that there did seem to be be two types of inverse correlations existing within the guys who took part enthusiastically in this kind of banter. One was with their level of intelligence, and the second tended to be with their chances of getting their end away. For a lot of them, someone that they called a slut could in reality be defined as a women who had sex with anyone but them. Saying that, I didn't find the banter offensive, just a bit pathetic normally. This is a whole different argument however in relation to sexual assualt and harassment.

 

I agree with alot of that.  I find that being all grown up and matured and married, as are many of my friends, these kind of conversations have toned down a fair bit. 

I do find myself overhearing these kind of discussions at work, however.  Guys of 25 to 30 who still need to grow up a bit, all acting the Big I Am, and all trying to outdo each other.  As you say, its sad and pathetic.