Hip-hop icon, MC Lyte, whose lyrical content is noted for representing women’s empowerment, finds the act of sexual harassment to be insupportable, but also believes there needs to be a fine line set between the definitions of flirting and sexual harassment.
In light of the current era of raging sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood, Lyte took to social media, Instagram, to share a post expressing her thoughts about sexual misconduct in the workplace, pegging the caption: “Sexual harassment or flirting – probably determined whether she likes him,” she adds, “Some of y’all flirt on Monday to get what you want and then when he/she flirts on Friday and you mad?!”
While the post was favored by the majority of her Instagram followers also, her fans, there was a percentage of people who couldn’t get over their heads about the current prime time of the Weinstein effect. Many didn’t find the need for Lyte to mention the terms “harassment” and “flirting” in the same sentence. The “Cha Cha Cha” spitter borne witness to the confusion her post was brewing and decided to take down the post and share another, where she provides brief clarity for the befuddled.
“It was not my intention to offend anyone who has ever experienced sexual harassment; nor anyone who has flirted. In order to have healing, we need to discuss the Rules of Engagement Now.”
In the second Instagram post, the hip-hop legend clarifies her message and ends the video highlighting an act that may lead towards less sexual harassment cases and heal the affected, the rules of engagement dialogue. “My last post was taken out of context. I was talking about flirting in the workspace,” says Lyte. “Of course, sexual harassment is very unacceptable. But it is very different from flirting. I still believe that the rules of engagement need to be discussed.”
In a recent interview with HipHopDX, the Lyte as a Rock emcee illustrated her message in an in-depth manner. She finds the dialogue regarding the rules of engagement in the workplace important, so that in all workspaces, the definition and difference between “flirting” and “sexual harassment” is common knowledge between coworkers, thus limiting the number of false allegations surfacing, causing societal chaos. She acknowledges the reality that two humans who share the same workspace, can possibly fall into a mutual attraction for one another.
“We need to have a discussion about the rules of engagement. I was looking at my timeline and I had people say they met their spouses at work and there was one woman who admitted before they even started dating, she made advances towards this guy. They wound up getting married and have two kids.”
While there are many levels to MC Lyte’s Instagram message, she finds her destiny to be to inspire and empower all women of the planet earth. Her goal is to not offend but to distribute truth and heal those who have been scarred by the horrors of sexual harassment. She gave kudos to the #MeToo campaign, labeling it as a great opportunity to trigger the rules of engagement conversation.
“I am not against the #MeToo campaign. I am totally for what is your truth? Let’s find out what your truth is and let’s get these rules of engagement together so we can live together harmoniously.”
“…And it’s never my attention to offend people. However, when truth is spoken, sometimes it will hit a nerve. But I’m clearly stating that we need to have an ongoing discussion that opens each sector to the concept of what is and isn’t accepted.”
The hip-hop legend does not have a problem with starting the dialogue for workplace rules of engagement. More importantly, she finds the people as the main voice on the matter who have the power to make it a distinct national or even global, concern. The feedback she received from her initial Instagram post revealed there is “a tremendous outpour of people wanting to discuss” sexual harassment. “Who best to set them but the people?! The people need to be able to get involved and figure out for themselves and also hear other people’s stories and circumstances,” says Lyte via HipHopDX.
Lyte’s rhetoric is one that is rather, highly necessary to perceive, in the name of hip-hop culture. Especially, since the Hollywood sexual misconduct phenomenon has hit hip-hop culture–with the case of hip-hop mogul, Russell Simmons. MC Lyte is aiming for the common ground and taking the route of core reality, to do so.
