Robin Clair's article, "Resistance and Oppression as a Self-Contained Opposite: An Organizational Communication Analysis of One Man's Story of Sexual Harassment,"" discusses the sexual harassment of a man and its hegemonic effects. Clair takes several terms and thoughts of other writers in the communication field to define the intent of her article. She begins by explaining discursive practices, hegemony, and how " discursive practices and formations are inextricably linked with the complex matter of hegemony- (Clair, 1994, p.238). In laymen's terms, discursive practices are the way we talk, act, and react according to who we are. There are many alternatives, but we choose what we choose as an indication of our own social reality. Hegemony is our dominating force; in fact, we enforce hegemony. Hegemony exists in every realm of human life as we accept and promote its ideas. Because of hegemony, we select certain discursive practices; it is an influential factor. .
After Clair's explanation, she gives an overview of the case at hand. A male assistant nurse, Michael, begins a job at a Mid-western medical facility during the third-shift (in which he is the only male assistant nurse). During his time there, Michael sees certain questions and comments made by his female colleagues as sexually harassing. Such questions as, "Have you ever had sex with another man?- (Clair, 1994, p.242) prompted Michael to approach the shift supervisor and finally, the head nurse. The heard nurse, a male, encouraged Michael to make up stories to tell his female colleagues. After Michael's first evaluation he was fired. Eventually, he then decided to bring his case to the EEOC to no avail, as the EEOC decided Michael's termination was due to "poor work performance- (MST). In order to receive some closure, Michael ultimately chose to write a "letter to the editor- type article to have his voice heard.