The practical reason I did not go out with professors when I was in graduate school was concern about possible future damage to my career. However, that appears to be the reason people say yes, not no. What am I missing here?
Axé.
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Isn’t that the risk of sexual harassment, that both yes and no might have negative consequences? So if I ask a student out (which I have never done and will never do) I am putting her in the situation where she could wonder if she is hurting her career whatever she answers. That being said, the no answer will do less damage in most cases.
Right. But it appears that most people think the yes answer does the least damage. To me it was so obvious, but of course I always went to large schools with lots of professors, and assumed if one harassed me I would be assigned another. I didn’t think carefully enough, probably, and was too reckless.
I also think that this just isn’t the kind of harassment or manipulation I am vulnerable to. I am vulnerable to other kinds. That is what I am missing, I suppose, in being so hard-boiled.