Thursday, December 8, 2011

How can you walk with that chip on your shoulder?

My college newspaper tells the story of a poor employee, planning to sue after her termination.
She likes wearing a baseball hat and keeping her hair short.
So some people have called her "sir."
What incident really got her in trouble? When she was representing the university at the county courthouse.
Entering the courthouse as a Towson University parking official with a University identification badge, Petrides said she was able to routinely bypass the metal detector at the building’s entrance to the room where the citation was being judged. On Nov. 17, she entered in the same fashion, but the bailiffs at the entrance called after her.
“They started yelling at my back, ‘Sir, sir, sir.’ And I wasn’t turning around because I’m not a sir,” Petrides said.
But Petrides said she went back to the entrance, where the bailiffs questioned if she had the proper credentials to pass the metal detector.
“Before I walked away, I said, ‘I would appreciate it if the next time I come in, you address me by the correct pronoun,’” Petrides said. “At that point, I walked away, and I could hear them saying things behind my back. And I know they were trying to get me to turn around to start something.”
Were they trying to start something, or do their job securing the facility? And watching a person walk past and ignore their calls?
It's a nice lengthy story, but should be an easy decision.
You can wear what you like. But you have to deal with what happens.
Most people will see a look and make a decision. Sorry if it's the wrong one.
Nothing against you, because people don't think about you. You're not the center of our lives.

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