Alex WellersteinVerified account

It's important for us to talk about #sexualharassment openly with our students. And that our male colleagues be our allies in this.https://twitter.com/ladyxscience/status/917389333832794112 …

I wonder what differences there are in having this conversations with students as a male professor? I have taught the same articles,

but usually the discussion goes much easier. I don't think it is because *I* am better at having this conversation, but I have

always suspected that my engineering students (same 3:1 gender ratio) find it more persuasive when I (a man) asserts this is a problem.

Whereas I have heard from female colleagues that they get pushback of the "this can't be common" sort when they talk about this.

When I assert it is common, it seems to be taken as reliable. Which is itself pretty reflective of part of the problem!

But it only underscores the need for esp. male professors, to talk about this, I think. Even if that difference *shouldn't* matter.

YES! 1st-thank you for teaching this; 2nd-exactly what you said. Men talk about it not as victims (usually) so students hear better.