To the NY Times Magazine Editor ... /s Amrohini J. Sahay

To the Editor,

It was not a surprise to read Ms. Francine Prose's defence of Professor Stephen Dobyns' sexually harassing practices in last weeks “Hers” section. Many other “good friends” of Professor Dobyns have, over the course of the past few months, offered similar defences, primarily by means of relegating his systematic sexism to merely an unfortunate “side-effect” of his alcoholism. Yet, as Ms. Prose's article made clear to all thinking people who are seriously concerned about the issue of gender violence, Dobyns' alcoholism is not the issue. The issue is sexual harassment and the manifold “stories” which are put forward to defend it and allow it to continue.

The most pernicious of these “stories” is of course the idea that sexual harassment is a relatively harmless instance of “free expression”, and that the courageous actions of young women students who have not remained silent but have spoken up about it are merely symptoms of a “Victorian” “prissiness” and an attack on the “gains” made by a “more serious” feminism. These are far from being the liberal views that Ms. Prose makes them out to be. They are in fact symptoms of a right-wing consciousness about issues of gender. Sexual harassment should not be allowed to be understood as “free expression”, and merely a question of “language”. This is merely to give license to systematic sexist violence in and around the workplace and to give the “go-ahead” to men in positions of power that oppressive sexual comments and actions are a part of their “rights." Resistance to sexual harassment should not be designated as a residue of Victorian “puritanism." It is one of the progressive results of decades of feminist struggle that women are finally able to speak out publicly about such issues and act to defend their own rights. And, lastly, the “feminism” of conservatives such as Ms. Prose should not be taken as representative. A progressive feminism is about defending the rights and interests of all women and not about defending the rights (to sexually harass) or “reputation” of a “distinguished” (and powerful) “poet and novelist."

Amrohini J. Sahay

(English Graduate Student at Syracuse University)