“You are right. We experience it too »- VG

Dear Sofie Linde

Thank you for having the courage to speak out. We’ve been watching from the sidelines long enough, and now we’ve talking to you.

You tell how you experienced a sexist culture among some men when you started in the media industry.

You are right. We experienced that too.

You say that there is still reason to tell younger generations that one can say no, because the culture still exists among some men.

You are right. We experience it too.

We have all experienced it to a greater or lesser degree during our careers. Inappropriate remarks about our appearance or attire. Insidious messages. Cross-border physical behavior. Warnings that there are some men we should avoid for Christmas breakfast.

It happened once. It’s happening all the time.

Many have demanded answers from you as to who is “the great TV cannon”. You have insisted from the beginning that you do not want to say that because it is not just about a single man’s cross-border behavior 12 years ago.

You are right. The debate must not end there.

It goes far beyond a single episode and a single person. We know that. Our desire is to move the debate from whether it is happening and instead talk about it happening, and what we should do together to stop it.

We are told that the door is always open. That we should go to the management if we experience something cross-border. But in that call lies the whole challenge – because why are it not the cross-border men you are talking to? The responsibility for stopping this lies primarily with those who can not figure out where the boundaries go.

And then it is with the workplaces that will create a clear framework that makes it safe for a young woman to speak out and speak loudly without fear for her career. And to us who witness something but say nothing.

Those who believe that this sexist culture no longer exists are wrong. Everyday sexism is still found among some men in the media industry, but also in other industries and in other types of workplaces. Unfortunately, many people still think that “it’s just that” – and that is the culture where sexist remarks are not really seen as a problem that we want to deal with.

You’re right, Sofie Linde. We’ll talk loudly about sexism taking place so we can figure out how to bring it to life.

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