Hostile Work Environment

In my women’s studies class today

we delved into the idea

of a hostile work environment

which I figure counts for schools too

and it made me feel far less alone

and that I wasn’t just dumb and paranoid

because when you hear

horrible things directed towards

those who are the things you are

no matter how many times people may say

she wasn’t referring to you

or

oh, but you’re different than all the other “those people”s

no matter what

and how much you try to make yourself feel safe

if they’d do that to them

and believe that about them

and speak that way about them

there is no membrane of decency stopping them

from acting that exact same way

towards you

and people file lawsuits against this sort of thing

so even though it may feel like an overreaction

my leaving

though cowardly

was a reasonable human response

but I suppose I’m only trying to justify things

to myself

and this wide vast universe

that I feel as though I’ve run away from