Speak Up

Happy Tuesday #Jontourage,

Welcome back to the “Classy Gent Chronicles”, where staying classy is the only way to be.  For this edition, read about a difficult conversation I had to have...

So not too long ago, I had to address a guy who constantly disrespects females in conversation when he is talking to other guys. His response was “women are not around to hear me say these things about them”. My response was “it doesn’t matter... how we operate internally eventually shows up externally and I don’t like it hearing those kinds of things”. The person apologized and agreed to do better.
 
As men, we have to stop allowing our bros and other guys to disrespect women in public but more importantly in private spaces.  Before a person commits to a hateful act externally, they developed that mindset first.  “Locker room talk” can be very toxic if you allow it to become that.  The days of “boys will be boys” has to stop.
 
The presence of a woman in the room shouldn’t be the reason we respect women. The existence of women period should be the reason we respect women. 
 
Why do I care so much? I have a mom... If the guys at her job or guys she walked past at the store verbally disrespected her I would have a problem with that. So I give every woman the same level of due diligence to speak up on her behalf whether she is aware of the conversations being had about her or not.
 
Fellas hold your male friends accountable for their actions and words or change those you allow in your space.   Ladies, it works both ways. 
 
Moral of the story: Speak up for the person not in the room to speak up for themselves. It might be uncool but it’s the right thing to do.   If you were in that situation, what would you have done?

Remember, in order to live out your dreams, you have to think it, feel it, live it! Until next time, stay classy...

For more Classy Gent Chronicles blog post, be sure to visit https://www.authorjon.com/blog