NYT Writer: Cancel Holiday Office Parties So Women Avoid Sexual Harassment

New York Times opinion writer Jennifer Weiner told CBS This Morning hosts that holiday office parties are nothing more than another opportunity for women to be sexually harassed.

In her article titled “The Torture of Dressing for Your Office Holiday Party,” Weiner described the holiday season as “the least wonderful time of the year.”

“Why are we having holiday parties at all?” complained Weiner to Gayle King on Monday morning. “Wouldn’t you rather have an extra $100 in your paycheck than have to put on the Spanx, put on the heels, be social with the guy with, like, the stale coffee breath who’s looking at your backside every time you go to the copier? You know how that is.”

Media Research Center provided the video clip of the show’s segment titled, “Surviving Office Parties”:

Weiner lamented that while men have it easy with a suit-and-tie “uniform,” women’s dress for office holiday parties is more complicated – particularly since the birth of the “MeToo” movement – because now they must find a balance between professional attire and the desire to look attractive and festive during the holiday season.

“This is such a throwback, though, the suggestion of what I wear is that I’m asking for it,” added Norah O’Donnell. “Why aren’t we focused more on behavior rather than what people are wearing? Why don’t we just have conversation about norms of behavior?”

Co-anchor Bianna Golodryga offered that women would be wise to avoid drinking at holiday office parties.

Meanwhile, Weiner provided her suggestions for women who decide to brave the office holiday party – and these ultimately brought her around to the subject of Christine Blasey Ford, whose allegations against newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh unraveled as evidence was released:

Do not drink. Have a friend, have a plan, like if that guy who checks out your butt as you go to the copier, corners you, have a friend who will be looking out for you … I joke that like, unfortunately if I was telling somebody what to wear, I would say a body camera at this point … A body camera and the Christine Blasey Ford memorial one-piece bathing suit under the clothes, which is terrible, but here we are.

Weiner and the show’s hosts bemoaned having to even discuss the topic of sexual harassment at office parties in the shadow of the recent scandals involving King’s former co-anchor Charlie Rose, and those involving CBS CEO Les Moonves and 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager.