CBS News Fires Charlie Rose Following Sex Allegations

I Maureen Cavanaugh. It is Thursday, November 21. Our top story on Midday Edition, and one 24 hour period, Charlie Rose has lost a CBS network job, CBS has terminated his relationship with Rose. More women have come forward to add to the eight accusing him of sexual harassment. Roses just the latest alleged harasser whose life has changed almost overnight. That swift and harsh reaction to claims of sexual harassment is a big change from the way similar complaints have been handled over the years. It is looking to some as if we're in the midst of a cultural shift that is redefining the power of women in the workplace and beyond. Joining me Huma Ahmed Ghosh.There calling this historic. Can you put what we are seeing in context? Is the precedents for this?It is historic in the extent that social media has played a big role, but I don't want to call it historic because I don't want to deny the bigger movement and equally big movements that occurred earlier. I want to complicate the issue by bringing up other women's voices that are not in the forefront just now. In 1991, I think that was a time when Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas issue was brought up. We did lead to changing some policies on women in the workplace and sexual harassment in the workplace. I also want to bring up the metoo hashtag. I hope it will bring forward a more intersectional analysis. Is it rich white women who have appropriated the metoo hashtag and talking about sexual violence like it is happening for the first time? Or can we use this so-called historic moment at issue to bring in an intersectional analysis of what has been going on with not very rich white women, with black women, and other women, that has not been taken seriously over the last 10 and 20 years?The question that you hear a lot about the women who are accusing Roy Moore and other women claiming harassment is why are they coming forward now? Sometimes decades after the alleged abuse.Mainly because they have a platform and it is very difficult, even for women to come out now, even though it is so much later that happened to them, because of the way these cases have been handled in the past. I'm sure they will continue to be. There is a fear of being shamed. People always ask, what were you wearing? Were you drunk? Nobody wants to believe them. Trust me, many of these women have complained before, but nothing really happened.10 or 20 years ago, and unwelcome to kiss, squeeze, might create a bad memory for a woman, but it was generally not taken very seriously. Have societal norms evolved since that time? Is that what we are seeing?I want to say yes and I want to say I hope it does, because the fact that it makes someone uncomfortable in itself was not taken positively. So I am reading some stuff about, well, I just give a kiss, it is not rape. It makes me cringe, because you are invading someone's body in their space. They're doing it in a situation where there is up higher -- power hierarchy. They are abusing that. That to me is very problematic. You are right that there are people who will be careful now. If that means not shaking hands, even if the woman wants to, then let that be so. We are creating boundaries and empowering women to take the lead in wanting to shake hands or give the kiss. But sometimes, you have to go that far.Just yesterday, San Diego is hearing again about new allegations against our former mayor, Bob Filner, this time when he was a congressman. How can you compare what San Diego went through and what is happening now nationally?I'm very proud of San Diego. I want to see sexual abusers and gendered violence, really want to call gendered violence, as an important issue. This is where the problem lies. It is never taken seriously enough to affect the career of a man. That is where the problem really lies. I Monday sexual violence test work -- force on San Diego University, but I do not see enough happening with the guys. With the men and students that we have. A lot of the girls will not name the perpetrator because they have the guilt that they don't want to mess with a young man's career. We're still conditioned to think that way. But with Bob Filner, the fact that he was removed from an important position, knowing that for those who are Democrats in the city, it could mean a replacement by Republicans, we still went for it. To me, that was a very strong message that sexual violence is so serious that we are willing to compromise on our electoral politics if that is the way it is going to be.The feminist author Jessica Valente said yesterday that her fear is that more of the issues talking about sexual harassment claims coming out, is that people are claiming that that is the way men are. What you think about that concern?I think she is on the right track. I am noticing a difference in people's reaction based on their class, race, privilege, etc. It is very hard for people who have friends who are going to be called out in high places. It is very hard for people from their own community being called out. So there is a sense amongst women and amongst feminists, especially in India, where there's a lot of conflict and they are saying, we don't trust the women entirely, or they should not be publicly shamed by being named. We should follow a process. Or, men will be men and the locker room stuff and all of that. But I think this kind of language and thinking was created to protect men. It is being used by some and we need to stop doing it. We need to redefine masculinity. We need to bring up children saying that masculinity is about respecting women and everybody. I want us to move away from making excuses, from being defensive, just because it may be somebody we know or belong to our community or our class or our race, and a lot of this language has to stop.I've been speaking with Huma Ahmed Ghosh, women's study professor from San Diego State University. Thank you so much.Thank you so much for having me.