not yer momma's berkeley

The more things change...

A professor I ran into gave me the less than subtle once over with his eyes. I am a lecturer. Not a professor. But a peer, even if a lesser and subordinate peer. I don't even know his name. But I got the visual body check - the kind only an older male can give a younger woman. The kind they don't even realise they do cos they are nice guys, but the kind that makes you feel icky none the less.

The worst part of it was that my first reaction wasn't to get pissed off. No, at 37, my first reaction was "shit, I'm wearing baggy trousers and a dumpy sweater cos I was running late. If only I had at least put lipstick on!"

What in the hell is going on there?!

I mean really. My second reaction, mind you, was to be disgusted. And to feel sad that some things have really not changed all that much. You know, check out my ass when my back is turned. Fine. But don't give me the up and down eyeball that is the reserve of catty women and fashion designers.

A friend of mine jokes that there are some things ultra-pc Antioch College couldn't have prepared him for. Then there are some things that not even Westwood One could prepare me for. I mean, corporate radio is supposed to be full of sleazeballs with hookers on their expense accounts. But academia should not have middle aged eyeballers. Sorry.

posted by Kate Coyer @ 6:54 PM