Two women from different generations share a common experience: despite decades of feminist discourse and the rise of movements like #MeToo, sexual harassment and everyday sexism have not diminished. One woman recalls an incident years before the cases of Weinstein or Epstein became public knowledge. As a student, she was approached by a senior professor who, after feigning interest in her work at the Goethe-Institut in Mumbai, made unwanted advances on a mountain. When she resisted, citing her relationship status, he retorted that she did not look monogamous. Although she managed to escape without physical force, the power dynamic left her paralyzed by fear of academic retaliation, leading her to silence the incident and avoid the institute for years.
The narrative highlights how violence is often easier to recognize than subtle pressure or manipulation. Julia Kartashova, in an essay for Merkur, argues that prestige acts as a calming agent that makes it difficult to distrust powerful men. The student feared being labeled a liar or hysterical if she reported the professor, a hesitation common among women who prioritize avoiding escalation over asserting boundaries. This pattern of self-censorship and fear is echoed in another anecdote where a woman declined a ride from an influential colleague to avoid being alone with him, illustrating how social conditioning teaches women to shrink their presence and anticipate danger.
A younger generation, raised during the mainstreaming of feminism and the #MeToo movement, faces similar realities. Despite growing up with feminist slogans on merchandise and in media, these women report encountering predatory behavior in professional settings. One account describes a professor who arranged meetings under the guise of academic supervision but used them to exert personal pressure, while another involves an organ builder sending unsolicited messages about a woman's movements after a brief internship visit. These incidents suggest that the commercialization of feminist demands into concepts like "empowerment" has not dismantled the underlying power structures.
The psychological impact of these encounters is profound, often resulting in a state of shock or silence rather than immediate resistance. Referencing Kate Manne's work on misogyny, the text describes this reaction as a "permanent pain" that numbs creative impulses. Women frequently engage in self-surveillance, questioning if their laughter was too loud or their clothing too revealing, internalizing the blame for male aggression. While some women have learned to reclaim their bodies and voices, the persistence of these behaviors across generations indicates that the shift from overt sexism to more eloquent, subtle forms of harassment remains a critical challenge.
Sources: FAZ.