The problem with your line of thinking is that most people (at least in the states) think the shirt was not just tacky. The shirt is considered offensive and degrading. By defending his choice, you are perpetuating the idea that the menz are insensitive to women and are creating a hostile environment. I realize it would be nice if the womenz had thicker skin and could just ignore this... but... most people are not ready for this.Pitchguest wrote:No, I changed my avatar to solidify the absurdity of the situation, and to show solidarity to Taylor. There is a cause and effect to this. It didn't start with, let's shoop Taylor's shirt onto other historical figures. It started with people exaggerating the significance of his shirt to such a degree that him wearing it actively prevents women from entering the STEM field, and actually feeling welcome in STEM. The culmination of which was Matt Taylor crying on television because he felt he had commited some grievous error, when all he had really done was wear an, at worst, tacky shirt. Oh, and the first to lead a team landing a probe on a comet moving 135,000 an hour.
It doesn't matter what he wore. Different professions carry different social mores, like dress codes. Turns out scientists can still be hired even if they're covered in tattoos, and turns out scientists can still do their job even if they happen to wear tacky shirts, khakis and sandals. If this was a news footage of a farmer, would anyone have a gave a toss? Probably not, because the important thing for a farmer is that they get their harvest done in time and everyone's happy.
(I think it needs to be pointed out how vastly different the atmosphere was like before the shirtstorm had kicked off, and after. Before he was giddy and jovial, after he was sullen and distant wearing clothes that could only be described as bleak and boring. I suppose those are clothes that would have been preferable in your eyes, but honestly it was just sad to watch. It was like his personality had been ripped out.)
I think the best thing to do is to not defend his choice of shirt. The best thing to do is to simply agree that it was a poor choice, but that it is a mild offense and Taylor should be forgiven.
I realize youall think I am a corporate clone, but most people are corporate clones... and we have been trained for the last two decades that certain stuff is not right in the workplace. Girlie pics (even clothed girlies) have been verboten for years now. I just don't think that this little topic is worth fighting about.
The justification for restricting free speech in the workplace is to promote effectiveness for the team. Political and/or offensive speech are sometimes destructive in the workplace. The key is to setup a generally agreed to set of guidelines and to promote people fitting in. That is why we start with training, then follow up with a warning, then escalate only if needed. People need to be given the benefit of the doubt because it is not always obvious what someone will find offensive.
