Fox News Host On Sexual Harassment: Better To "Just Walk Away"

A profile of Megyn Kelly today devotes considerable time to trying to decipher her ideology. (She claims not to have one). Kelly is, however, rather sympathetic to her corporate sister Cindy Adams‘ claim that sexually harassed women shouldn’t sue.

Kelly’s first question to former prosecutor Wendy Murphy is, “Do you concede that some women run to the court room and file sexual harassment lawsuits when they have no basis to do so, or when they might have the basis, but it would have been better handled just by giving the guy an equally hard time and just walk away?” Murphy pushes back a little, but mostly agrees that feminists should lighten up.

Wonder what makes her think women are so comfortable “running to” the courtroom, racking up expensive legal bills, subjecting their own lives and behavior to heavy scrutiny, and often being outright called a liar. I’d be willing to be there are far more examples of women “dealing with it” by not saying anything at all, to their long term professional detriment. True, the legal system isn’t always the answer. But the obsessive focus on the handful of women who do pursue that option suggests not that these people think the legal system is being abused, but that they ultimately think such behavior is acceptable.

Meanwhile, News Corporation — parent of The New York Post, where Adams’ column appeared, as well as Fox News — was sued last fall for creating a hostile work environment for female and non-white employees. Among the allegations: that the editor in chief showed female employees photos of penises and rubbed his own against them at parties, and that a young female employee was offered a promotion in exchange for a blow job. And we all know about Kelly’s colleague and frequent interlocutor Bill O’Reilly‘s falafel fantasies — settled out of court, but not before we got a glimpse into what working for him might be like.

But yeah, clearly they should have just dealt with it. It’s too bad the legal system doesn’t seem to have made a dent in the corporate culture.

Megyn Kelly Defends Cindy Adams’ Claim That Women Should Just Deal With Harassment [Mediaite]
The Barbara Walters Of Fox News [The Daily Beast]

Related: The New York Post Is A Hellish Cauldron Of Racism, Sexism, And White Rage: Lawsuit [Gawker]
O’Reilly Falafel Suit Turns Five [TSG]

Earlier: Gossip Columnist Tells Sexual Harassment Victims To Suck It Up
Jon Stewart On Megyn Kelly: Same Fair & Balanced, Except Without Sleeves