Readers React: Protecting women in the workplace is trickier than it seems

To the editor: As a woman who is old enough to remember when the only way to avoid getting groped at work was to be quick on your feet, I read the opinion piece with interest. (“Harassment vs. the gender gap,” Opinion, Oct. 9)

I can’t speak to the harassment training other California employees receive, but where I work, the training is realistic, gender-neutral, nuanced and focused on creating and maintaining an atmosphere where everyone is treated with respect.

All Californians should be able to work where they are valued for their contributions and mentored because they show promise. However, is the mandatory basic training on cultivating a professional workplace really the right platform to attempt to learn to navigate the off-hours networking and maneuvering it takes to climb from mid-level to senior exec?

Joanne Zirretta, Aliso Viejo

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To the editor: I am in 100% agreement that it should be possible for women to have it both ways, once they are required by law to register for the military draft, and to surrender gender-specific workplace inequalities such as pregnancy leave.

David Goode, Manhattan Beach

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