Stand Up For Yourself

You do not have to accept unacceptable behavior.

Let me share an experience that solidified this truth for me.

One time, I was on an interpreting assignment where it was known that the man I was working with was degrading to female interpreters. I went in knowing this, but what happened was still shocking.

During a break between sessions, someone from the audience came up and talked to me. They asked how I learned sign language—it was a typical question, something that happens all the time.

Out of nowhere, the man I was working with whistled at me like I was a dog!?

And he told me: "COME ON!"

I turned to the person I was speaking with and said, "Apparently, I'm not allowed to talk to others."

And then I did what I had to do—I finished out the day. I made sure I did an excellent job interpreting because that’s what I was there to do.

But once the day was over, I knew I had to do something.

I told him directly, "That was not acceptable." Then, I immediately reached out to the agency that had sent me on the assignment and told them, "I will not work with this man ever again."

The point I want to make today is this: stand up for yourself.

You don’t need to be treaded on, and you definitely don’t need to be treated like a dog. You're worth so much more than that.

So, if you’re ever in a situation where someone is disrespecting you, take a moment to really think about how you can empower yourself to take care of yourself.

Stand up for who you are, because you deserve to be treated with respect.

I hope you have an amazing day!