Business Ettiquette

[browngirl]

I've been working full time for ten years now. (I got a late start.) In that time I've seen that, especially if one is a supervisor and/or has seniority, one may spy on coworkers and subordinates, one may demand progress reports every five minutes, one may belittle people in a quiet voice or shout and scream at them or call them names as long as one doesn't use a slur against a protected class. One may rummage a person's desk or demand details of how they spend their time away from work or make them ask permission to take a bathroom break, and even deny them that permission. One may even throw things as long as one doesn't actually hit anyone.

But one may not cry. Ever. Not even behind a closed door.

Now how did crying become the epitome of unprofessional behavior?

(This is fortunately not inspired by current events at work. Though it is partially inspired by current events.)