Overall, society has become much ruder, cruder, and lewder than it was 50, or even 25, years ago. But sexual harassment, if hardly a thing of the past, is at least—like smoking—generally disapproved of, and the woman on the receiving end of a “friendly” pat on the rear from her boss or suggestive remarks from her co-workers now has legal recourse. In the past, enduring such treatment was often considered as much a part of the job as making coffee. (On a personal note, I worked with great people and did not have this kind of problem myself. I didn’t make the coffee, either.)
Maybe we’ve gone too far in enforcing the new rules—suspending a kindergartener for kissing a classmate comes to mind—but for the most part they are in place because they are necessary. I’m thankful for this civility.
