Author Joanne Lipman said the recent reported behavior of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo towards women fuels institutional sexism and fuels huge disparities in pay, promotion and opportunity.
“When we marginalize them [women], we don’t value them as much, “said Lipman in CNBC’s” The News with Shepard Smith. ” When we don’t value them that much, we don’t pay that much, or promote them that much, or give them guidance, and all of that fuels this ongoing institutional sexism that has really prevented us from making the moves that we needed to do since the #MeToo movement. “
Pressure is increasing for Cuomo to step down after a third woman accused him of unwanted advances.
Lipman, who wrote “This is what she said: What men need to know (and women need to tell them) about working together,” explained to presenter Shepard Smith that although Cuomo’s actions may not have been abusive physical, his “casual sexism” prevents equality for all.
“When you have guys like Cuomo – people in leadership positions – who speak a very good game about equality for women and equality for people of color, but then you have these actions that go ahead of that, it really diminishes the words that they are saying. And it really undermines the cause of equality for all of us, “said Lipman.
The third woman to perform, Anna Ruch, said she met Cuomo at a wedding in 2019, where he put his hand on her lower back, put his hands on her cheeks and asked if he could kiss her, according to the New York Times. . Cuomo did not comment on the accusation.
The White House confirmed on Tuesday that Ruch worked on Biden’s campaign as an organizer in southwest Florida.
“I can certainly speak on behalf of the President and the Vice President and therefore let me reiterate that both believe that every woman who presents herself should be heard, treated with dignity and treated with respect,” said Jen Psaki, White Secretary of Chamber press.
Ruch did not work for Cuomo, but the other two women, Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett, are former advisers who alleged sexual harassment. Cuomo totally denied Boylan’s claim. He also refuted Bennett’s accusations and said his words were “misinterpreted”.
Lipman explained that society now has a much sharper sense of awareness than constitutes inappropriate behavior since the #MeToo movement and is therefore more likely to report it.
“I mean, in the three years since the #MeToo movement erupted, we know what the rules of the road are, and it is so irritating for so many women to see this type of behavior persist,” said Lipman.
New York Attorney General Letitia James opened an investigation into Cuomo on Monday as calls for him to step down grew in his own party.
US Congresswoman Kathleen Rice of D-Long Island became the first Democrat to call for Cuomo’s resignation Monday night via Twitter. Six Democratic state legislators from the Senate and New York State Assembly launched a demonstration Tuesday and called for Cuomo’s impeachment.