Hostile Environment Harassment
Hostile Environment Harassment is any action, verbal expression, repeated or persistent or series of actions or expressions that is reasonably perceived as creating an intimidating, offensive, hostile, or demeaning educational, employment, or living environment for a student or College employee, by focusing on that person's gender or sexual orientation. A hostile environment is one that interferes with an individual's ability to participate in all and any aspects of academic, professional, or residential campus life.
Example:
Jane has work-study in the mailroom. On the outside of some of her co-workers’ doors are some pictures of same-sex couples with phrases under them saying such things as “homosexuals are confused” and “marriage is between a man and a woman, not 2 fags.” Jane is offended by these posters and doesn’t feel comfortable working there anymore. Jane is working in a hostile environment.