South Brooklyn DSA

Then it got really interesting. I couldn’t discuss this with my coworkers as it might be perceived as retaliation. My work was taken away and I had to sit at my desk 8 hours a day with nothing to do. I was cut out of meetings. Cold shouldered.

After 3 months of this, they finally realized I wasn’t backing down. They gave me the appropriate severance. It took me six months to gather myself to apply anywhere for work again.

My eBay and PayPal colleagues could only hear this story recently. It took all the brave women who told their stories to help me realize it wasn’t my fault.

For years I couldn’t apply to other big jobs, fearful of being blackballed by this VP of HR at PayPal. I finally entered therapy 2 years ago-10 years later-to address the anxiety about working that incident created.

I started my own company so no one could hold my financial future over my head ever again. I literally couldn’t trust any other employer again.

Both men never touched me. Both were gay. Both nearly destroyed my professional life. Both hold positions of power in tech.

Sexual harassment is vile. As an assault survivor outside of work I know that. But let’s not forget how misogyny plays out in ways that don’t involve genitals.

A postscipt: after I left I got to tell some folks. my network quietly kept tabs on the disgusting worm that accused me. He was forced out a few months later. It is cold comfort.