Maureen Dowd’s op-ed column in the NYT yesterday (the funny-angry “Non Means Non”) takes on the fallout from the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair. In the middle, this wonderful desperate attempt at fending off accusations of sexual impropriety:
The French president wasted no time jettisoning a junior minister — also the mayor of Draveil — who was accused of sexual assault by two former employees. Georges Tron resigned Sunday after the two women in their mid-30s said they had gotten the courage to come forward after the Strauss-Kahn arrest.
Tron, it seems, liked to give foot massages and sometimes more. It got to the point where some women would wear boots if they knew Monsieur Masseur was coming to a meeting.
“Yes, my client is a reflexologist,” riposted Tron’s lawyer, Olivier Schnerb. “He’s never hidden it. He has given conferences at the Lion’s Club. It’s a healing treatment.”
A bit later, another report:
Nicole Guedj, a lawyer and former minister, said wistfully of male colleagues: “One thinks, ‘I wish you wouldn’t just look at me. I wish you would listen to me.’ “
Listening would be good. Maybe her male colleagues think that women just chatter on inconsequentially (see numerous postings on Language Log), so they’re not worth listening to.
June 3, 2011 at 11:38 pm |
I’m thinking it’s more an appetitive thing. Cliched but true.