Sexuality in a Workplace - Assignment Example

Sexuality in a Workplace Table of Contents Introduction 3 Critical Discussion 4 Argument 4 Identification 4 Evidence 5 Critique 6 Evaluative Judgment 7 Argument 2 9 Identification 9 Evidence 9 Critique 10 Evaluative Judgement 11 Personal Perceptions 12 Conclusion 14 References 16 Introduction The current essay intends to focus on the argument of Sullivan (2014), which suggests, “pressures towards organizational desexualisation in massage therapy serve to maintain heteronormativity, sexual harassment and discrimination”. Based on the rising consciousness about desexualisation at workplaces, this argument reflects a meaning extremely decisive for maintaining and preserving ethical and moral values, especially when relating to a domain similar to the massage therapy organisations. Understanding that these organisations are comparatively more prone to desexualisation practices, the essay would support organisations to understand the importance of desexualisation in massage therapy. Additionally, by reviewing the practices within the organisations, the discussion henceforth will support organisations to attain competitive advantages and thereby, accomplish its goals and objectivities (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Emphasising this standpoint it can be argued that the study is important from the perspective of several scholars and researchers in order to gain comprehensive understanding regarding the importance of desexualisation in the work environment. A key argument raised in this study examine if the increasing number of women within the workforce has made it a necessity to change traditional views towards women. The age-old dogmas, illustrating women being feeble, must therefore be changed at the root level to increase the views towards desexualisation (Long 2008). With the attempt to develop an in-depth understanding of different concepts, some of the key terms must be discussed. One of such is ‘desexualisation’, which infers the deprivation of sexual activities and factors those influence it. Another important key term in the study is ‘heteronormativity’, which is explained as the normal phenomenon of intimacy between man with woman and vice versa (Wolkowitz, 2006). The essay attempts to comprehensively and critically discuss the statement of Katie Sullivan and evaluate it with other relevant arguments by different authors. In this regard, the essay thus aims to identify two of the major arguments of Sullivan, emphasising her arguments based on desexualisation with due consideration to the evidence based on which the author has drawn the arguments. Furthermore, both supporting as well as contradictory arguments have been considered for critically evaluating the notion raised in the referred study by Sullivan. Additionally, a brief personal perception has also been provided in relevance to the study. Critical Discussion Argument 1 Identification There are several massage services providing organisations those have altogether created an environment and a trend where therapists uphold gendered subjectivities. The prevailing trend of culture in the massage therapy organisations portray man as more sexually aggressive, while woman as victimised, on the other hand. Focusing on such a notion, Sullivan (2014) suggests that desexualisation in massage service organisations would lead to the maintenance of heteronormativity as well as better control on discrimination and sexual harassment practices. The implementation and establishment of desexualisation in massage therapy would therefore encourage professionalism among the employees. Moreover, it would also encourage the perseverance of moral and cultural values in the work place and the society (Birksted-Breen et al., 2014). Evidence Sullivan (2014) suggested quite noteworthy evidence, witnessing different elements in the massage therapy organisations that encourage sexual harassment, discrimination, and heteronormativity. One of those arguments illustrated the situation wherein the female therapist’s appearance provokes the male clients to conduct sexual intimacy. Making use of such provocations, these organisations compel female therapists to portray an appearance that would attract male clients often denoting their marketing approach towards their targeted consumers. Notably, organisations have also been observed to often pressurise its employees to appear in a manner to the clients so that heteronormativity among the opposite gender gets entertained (Long 2008). On the other hand, some of the organisations do not apparently encourage sexual intimacy to the clients, but the appearances of the female therapists do provoke the male clients to an extent. This eventually leads to the promotion of discrimination, sexual harassment, and heteronormativity (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Besides the indulging appearances of the therapists often gives way to situations of sexual harassments. Sullivan (2014) also cited that the overall communication process followed by the therapists do provoke clients for sexual intimacy. These communication factors include eye contact of the therapists, their vocal tones, gestures and postures among others. On investigation, Sullivan (2014) identified that the female therapists deliver services inculcating these provocative factors in order to attract male clients and retain them for the long run. This subsequently leads to provocation for sexual harassment, heternormativity, and other ill behaviours towards women. Sullivan (2014) also suggests on the basis of prominent evidence that the massage therapy organisations do pressurise its therapists to indulge into such behaviour with the clients that provoke sexual intimacy and thereby tantamount to sexual harassment at often instances (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Critique The above arguments provided by Sullivan (2014) suggest that massage therapy organisations do provide subjective elements based on gendered views within the organisation, which depicts female therapists to be victims of sexual aggression committed by male clients. In this regard, Sullivan (2014) also provided evidence of provoking appearances and communication of the female therapists those are intended to entertain sexual intimacy. Contextually, from a critical perspective and based on the evidence, it can be asserted that the arguments provided by the author are logical. In this regard, Doktorgrades (2014) also suggested of similar concepts that lead to sexual harassment within massage therapy organisations, often at a higher rate as compared to other organisations. This article suggests that motivation from the organisation towards these employees play a vital role in promoting sexual harassments within the organisation. Correspondingly, it has been noted that motivation provided by the massage therapy organisations to perform such activities, eventually victimises female therapists and leads to instances of harassment (Long 2008). The employees, because of such motivation, do not perceive the immoral and unethical values of such activities within the organisation. On a critical note, this concept of employee motivation significantly matches with the argument forwarded by Sullivan. Paine & Hansen (2002) also suggests the factors that influence sexual harassment, reflecting that internal inhibition is the prime reason to such casualties. In this regard, Paine & Hansen (2002) conveyed that external motivation from the organisation to make its employees perform activities by modifying appearances and communication factors is not the sole reason for sexual harassment. The same notion has also been supported by Long (2008). Long (2008) further comments that the reason behind such arguments is that employees, who do not face inhibitions against sexual harassments, would not be affected by the motivation of the organisation. Thus, the counter argument provided by Paine & Hansen (2002) strongly opposes the views illustrated by Sullivan (2014). Evaluative Judgment Correspondingly, the argument depicted by Sullivan (2014) about massage therapy organisations influencing therapists to include gendered elements as well as subjectivism of women within the organisation, is also supported by the views of Doktorgrades (2014). However, Paine & Hansen (2002) also critically argued on subjectivism of women. Their argument suggests that the influence of organisations do not encourage the therapists, unless they are highly inhibited against such harassments. In this regard, it is evaluated that the motivation of the massage therapy organisations is not the single factor that influences therapists to portray modified appearances and communication. Therefore, it can be asserted that the therapists who do not have high inhibition against such harassments are not motivated by the organisation (Long 2008). Individuals would therefore leave the job or plea to change their job role. However, the therapists who have high inhibition against such sexual harassments are easily motivated by the organisation. These therapists are even open for modifying their appearances and communication accordingly, to satisfy the clients. This eventually creates a situation that may lead to sexual harassment, discrimination and/or heteronormativity within the organisation (Long 2008). Moreover, it is also evaluated that high degree of inhibition against sexual harassments by the therapists is due to the influence of certain factors. One of those factors of inhibition against sexual harassments is the need of financial support among such therapists. This influences them to get motivated to portray an appearance and communicate in a manner that provokes clients in massage therapy organisations, to be sexually aggressive, which in turn imposes an impression on their performance appraisal within the organisation. Another factor that influences the therapists to experience inhibition against sexual harassment is their cultural background (Paine & Hansen, 2002). The therapists who are brought up under such a social estrangement where sexual harassment, discrimination, and others are not considered as an immoral conduct have inhibition against the same (Long 2008). Thus, these therapists are easily motivated by the organisation and feel free to portray appearances and behavioural traits that are liked by the clients. Hence, it can thus be inferred that the argument fostered by Sullivan (2014) is logical and acceptable despite the different views portrayed by Paine & Hansen (2002). Arguably, the organisation should implement desexualisation policies within their internal environment by practising ethical norms as well as by restraining from encouraging employees to portray a sexually provoking appearance and behaviour, which might lead to sexual harassment. Moreover, organisations also should not victimise the therapists through sexual harassments for the sake of financial needs suppressing their complete freedom. Proper practise of desexualisation in the massage therapy organisation would therefore enhance professionalism among the therapists. This would eventually support the therapists to increase their effectiveness and efficiencies by fostering high employee morale within the organisation (Paine & Hansen, 2002). Argument 2 Identification Sullivan (2014) also identified that the involvement of single female therapists in massage therapy organisations delivering service to male clients is also an act of prompting heteronormativity, discrimination, and sexual harassment. The author further emphasises the fact that male clients gain greater confidence to commit sexual harassment to female therapists when there is no other female employee present or rather when no third party is likely to witness the deed. In this context, the author argued of the need for desexualisation within the organisation in order to maintain security of the employees and enhance their level of satisfaction (Long 2008). Moreover, desexualisation is noted as an important tool from the perspective of reducing sexual harassment, discrimination and heteronormativity within the organisation. Sullivan (2014) also argued that the message therapy organisations should discourage employment of single female employee as a therapist, when an organisation delivers services to male clients (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Evidence Sullivan (2014) argued that the introduction of single female therapists in a massage therapy organisation is an act of provoking the male clients to execute sexual harassment in the absence of any other party to witness the same. This argument supported by several evidence that have been depicted by the author through her work. Sullivan (2014) therefore conveyed that there are several instances of sexual harassment to the female massage therapists throughout the world. The reason behind such sexual harassment to single therapists is high, as there are less chances of being convicted after committing such heinous crimes on the therapists. Notably, as there are no other individuals in the organisation, who would witness in favour of the victimised therapists, thus, the evidence of victimising the single female massage therapist, is noted to be more than other therapists and increasing in the global domain (Long 2008). It is also worth mentioning that evidence of sexual harassment to single female employee are not only limited to massage services provided by organisations, but are even prominent among organisations from various sectors. Thus, based on such evidence, Sullivan (2014) suggested the importance of desexualisation massage service providing organisations by abolishing the policy of single female therapists (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Critique The second argument provided by Sullivan (2014), who suggests that, the introduction of single female therapist in massage service providing organisation leads to greater chances of sexual harassment, discrimination, and heteronormativity is logical. The argument is logically accepted as organisations, having single therapists, increases the confidence level of male clients, as they would not be affected after victimising the therapists. This phenomenon can be argued as logical if human behaviour could be taken into consideration, as people often tends to commit criminal and immoral offenses when they have the least possibility of being penalised (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Similar to the concepts developed by Sullivan (2014), Vigne et al. (2011) also suggested that women who are institutionalised or incarcerated are majorly sexually assaulted or harassed. This concept can be linked with the argument suggesting that single female therapists are victimised, when they are incarcerated by the massage service providing organisations. This incarceration of the female therapists leads the individual to be separated from family and dear ones causing isolation. This separation and isolation of the female therapist affects her to lose confidence in fighting against sexual harassments and other criminal offenses against her. On the other hand, such isolations or social metaphors eventually strengthens the confidence level of male clients to conduct sexual harassment against single female therapist who are separated from the family members on repeated events (Long 2008). Notably, as argued, this confidence level of the clients is further boosted in the absence of other female therapists in the organisation (Hassard & Holliday, 2003). Unlike Sullivian (2014), Boyd (2015) argued that female therapists, who are involved in the massage service providing organisations, are not always incarcerated and separated from family. Several instances evidence the fact that even though the female therapists are not incarcerated or institutionalised by the massage organisation, these individuals are victimised and often face hindering situations such as sexual assault and harassment. Boyd (2015) suggested that this hindering attitude of the male clients is often against young female therapists. Several evidence thus suggests the fact that this sector of the therapist are majorly victimised wherein the organisations often incarcerate young female individuals and men or even middle-aged women. Thus, Hassard & Holliday (2003) argues about the notion that being female and young is a factor that may lead to sexual harassments and various heinous crimes against women engaged in providing massage therapy. Evaluative Judgement Sullivan (2014) in her research article argued that those female therapists who work singlehanded in the massage service providing organisations are the one who face such disgraces. This concept is also supported by the arguments of Vigne et al. (2011) suggesting that female therapists, who are incarcerated by organisations, face several instances of abuses. Moreover, based on the fact that these women are often alone while facing such disgrace do not have scope for fighting against such crimes. This eventually encourages such occurrences in the massage therapy organisations. However, Boyd (2015) also commented that it is only the young female therapists in the massage organisations, who are mostly targeted and victimised through sexual assaults and harassments. In this regard, it can be evaluated that female therapists who are young, are mostly incarcerated by the massage service providing organisations to increase consumers and gain popularity for such institutions (Hidaka, 2010). Furthermore, as the female therapists are often secluded and have to work alone, they get panic stricken and fail to revolt against such offenses. This also encourages the clients to execute sexual harassments on the female therapist. Thus, by evaluating the argument of Sullivan (2014) against the views illustrated by other theorists, it can be asserted that the different views depicted by the author are logical and acceptable. Correspondingly, based on the evidence of sexual harassments conducted on young female, who are single, desexualisation within organisations are noted to be of utmost importance from the perspective of maintaining ethical and moral values. In this regard, Sullivan (2014) recommended that such organisations should implement desexualisation policies by discouraging the involvement of single female therapists within the organisation. Additionally, it is also recommended that these organisations must discourage incarceration of young female therapists (Roseberry, 2006). Personal Perceptions Desexualisation in work environment is extremely important in order to increase the professional efficiency and effectiveness among the employees. This concept is equally applicable to massage service-providing organisations, wherein sexual intimacy to the client and the therapist are apparent. This eventually victimises the therapist and at several instances, provokes sexual harassment. It also leads to social discrimination by hindering the social status of such therapists who provide massage therapy to the clients (Long 2008). Moreover, it is also notable that several gendered subjective elements within the organisation also encourage the male clients to conduct offensive activities and sexually victimise the therapists. Thus, it is important for such organisations to desexualise the working environment (Hewitt-Taylor, 2006). Besides the above-mentioned factors, certain other factors encourage sexual harassments within an organisation. These commonly include high-level alcohol consumption clients. This particular argument imply that clients who arrive at the massage therapy organisations often conduct sexual harassments, and other offensive activities to the therapists under the influence of drugs or alcohol (Hewitt-Taylor, 2006). Moreover, based on the fact that some of the therapists depict themselves in such a manner that they are likely to attract the male clients, it can be argued that such hindering behaviour of one woman even affects the status of other women who are working in the same field. This eventually provokes the clients to conduct sexual harassment and other offensive activities with the therapists irrespective of their behaviour and communicating behaviour (Ubani, 2011). Desexualisation of working environment within an organisation is highly important from the perspective of its growth and development. In this regard, it is important to note that desexualisation in massage therapy organisations would lead to its overall development and growth. This is fundamentally because desexualisation leads to enrichment of employee morale. The highly enriched employee morale also implies on the increased motivation among them that motivates them to execute their tasks effectively and efficiently. Moreover, nurturing of morality often leads to organisational growth and development (Hewitt-Taylor, 2006). It is also notable in this regard that highly increased employee morale through desexualisation of an organisation shall also lead to the reduction of attrition rate of the organisation, which also benefits the organisation and supports in its growth and development (Hewitt-Taylor, 2006). Furthermore, it is also worth mentioning that desexualisation in organisational process is highly decisive in enriching the moral and ethical values that are prevalent within the organisation as well as the society that the organisation dwells. To be noted in this regard, the high moral and ethical values of the organisation are highly praised by the society (Hewitt-Taylor, 2006). This also indicates superior brand image of the organisation, which acts as a key catalyst for attaining competitive advantages. Subsequently, this competitive advantage of massage therapy organisation, implementing desexualised environment paves the way for overall growth and development of the organisation (Schein, 2010). Conclusion From the course of the study, it is eminent that sexual harassment, discrimination, and heteronormativity are a common phenomenon in massage therapy organisations today. In this regard, it is notable that these organisations perform gender subjective elements, which attracts the clients at a high degree. This strategy adopted by most of the massage therapy organisations in order to attract clients. However, this strategy of attracting clients is highly unethical and immoral, as it ultimately victimises the female therapists. Moreover, it is also notable that the single female therapists in such organisations are also promoting heteronormativity. This in turn encourages sexual harassments by victimising the female therapists. Besides these, it is also notable that the motivation of massage service providing organisations towards its therapists provokes clients for heteronormativity, which is widely observed in the current phenomenon. Moreover, it is also eminent that therapists who have high inhibition against sexual harassments are mostly victimised, wherein some of the organisations incarcerate female therapists for promoting heteronormativity. However, from the ethical and moral perspectives it is extremely decisive to desexualise the working environment that would not only lead to the perseverance of moral and ethical values of the organisation and the society, but also foster growth and development of the organisation. It is evident thus, that desexualisation leads to the overall improvement of brand image of the organisation. Simultaneously, it is also notable that desexualisation leads to the establishment of employee motivation and morale. This eventually leads to a substantial increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation where high employee morale also leads to low attrition. Thus, it can be asserted that desexualisation in massage therapy organisation is highly decisive in paving the organisation to gain competitive advantages and thereby accomplish its real goals and objectives. References Birksted-Breen, D. et al., 2014. Reading French Psychoanalysis. UK: Routledge. Boyd, C., 2015. The Impacts of Sexual Assault on Women. Australian Institute of Family Studies, pp. 1-8. Doktorgrades, Z. E. D., 2014. Ways of Explaining Sexual Harassment: Motivating, Enabling and Legitimizing Processes. Universitaten Bielefeld und Marburg. pp. 1-130. Hassard, J. & Holliday, R., 2003. Contested Bodies. UK: Routledge. Hewitt-Taylor, J., 2006. Clinical Guidelines and Care Protocols. US: John Wiley & Sons. Hidaka, T., 2010. Salaryman Masculinity: The Continuity of and Change in the Hegemonic Masculinity in Japan. BRILL. Long, S., 2008. The Perverse Organisation and its Deadly Sins. London: Karnac Books. Paine, M. L. & Hansen, D. J., 2002. 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