Be Careful With Compliments In #MeToo Era, Councilman Warns

NEW YORK — An innocent compliment can lead down a slippery slope in the #MeToo era, embattled City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. argued Monday. In a 763-word email essay decrying "political correctness," the Bronx Democrat warned readers against paying compliments lest they be construed as inappropriate.

"In today’s 'Me Too' and 'Politically Correct' environment one must be extremely careful and refrain from complimenting anyone, because if you dare, you are in danger of being charged with 'sexual harassment,'" Diaz wrote in his email newsletter, titled "What You Should Know."

"So, beware, and tread lightly with your compliments," he added.

Diaz's note came about a month after the Council dissolved the committee he chaired following his inflammatory claim that the "homosexual community" controls most of the chamber's members.

In the message, titled "Political Correctness Is Eroding Our Constitutional Rights," Diaz argued that people who hold conservative views are chagrined with derogatory labels. He said opponents of abortion are called "anti-woman" and those who think marriage should be between one man and one woman are branded "homophobic" and "not welcomed in our civilized society."

"Clearly my dear reader we are living in a very different America," Diaz wrote. "Where instead of having an intelligent, respectful discourse, dissenting voices are branded with a despicable name, a 'scarlet letter' and stripped of the inalienable rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution."

Reached by phone, Diaz declined to elaborate on his writing about sexual harassment. "Whatever is there is what it is," he said.

The #MeToo movement has unearthed sexual misconduct well beyond paying compliments at the upper echelons of the world's political and cultural institutions. High-profile figures such as disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, former state attorney general Eric Schneiderman and ex-CBS chairman Les Moonves have been accused of behavior ranging from psychological abuse to rape.

City government hasn't been insulated from the problem. Kevin O'Brien, once a top aide to Mayor Bill de Blasio, reportedly resigned from his job last year after two city employees' harassment allegations against him were substantiated. And Councilman Andy King had to undergo sensitivity training after he was found to have made unwanted advances to a Council staffer.

In a statement, the co-chairs of the Council's Women's Caucus said the people actually working to address the forms of violence women face are the ones who deserve a bigger platform.

"Instead of giving a larger platform to an elected official who will not acknowledge the near-daily experiences of too many New York women who face domestic violence and harassment, we should focus our energies on encouraging women to step forward, speak up, and believe them," Councilwomen Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera said in the joint statement. "We should never brush aside a woman’s story as just an instance of 'political correctness.'"

Diaz's claim about the gay community controlling lawmakers was widely condemned as homophobic and dangerous. Despite losing his For-Hire Vehicles Committee, Diaz resisted calls to resign and doubled down, arguing that Amazon canceling its plans for a Long Island City headquarters was proof of his statement.

Diaz did vote in favor of 11 bills the Council passed last year aimed at combatting sexual harassment, records show.

This story has been updated with a statement from the co-chairs of the Council's Women's Caucus.