This happened three years ago at a small company and it still has been weighing on me. It was one of those "we're one big family" tech companies who prided itself on having beer in the fridge and a "great culture".

The management structure above me was my lead (female), mid level manager (female), direct manager (female), and department head (male). The HR department was 3 people (all female). For what it's worth, I am also an ethnic minority and all the women in management were white women.

Myself, a female colleague, and another male colleague were all up for a promotion. The only one that walked away with a promotion was my female colleague, despite myself and my male colleague being there far longer (I actually interviewed and made the call to hire the person who was promoted). The company had a formal list of criteria needed for a promotion, so I created a list with evidence for every bullet point and sent it to my manager. She refused to even glance at it and told me my accomplishments were not relevant. Weeks later I pleaded with her to go over this document and discuss my career goals. She flipped out on me, called me all kinds of names, and then stormed off.

I went to the head of the department and explained what had happened. He was shocked at the behavior and had no idea what was going on in the department. He scheduled a meeting with the three of us and she tried to lay into me again, but instead her boss chewed her out for unprofessional behavior. He then saw my list of accomplishments and decided I was definitely in line for a promotion and I was promoted not long after, along with my male colleague. I thought it was over. Boy was I wrong.

A few months later the department head left the company and was replaced by a female department head (so the entire management structure was female). My boss held a grudge and it was open season on me now. But this time she stepped over the line and harassed me over email with direct language about a disability I have. This is blatantly illegal so I went to HR.

They immediately defended her and tried to gaslight me. Everything I said they tried to counter, until I presented them with the harassment in writing. I stood firm and knew my rights and they backed down. What transpired after that was 6 months of retaliation (I spoke to a lawyer and he said there's not much you can do until they fire you).

Constant belittling, talking bad about me to other coworkers, turning people against me. Every 1 on 1 meeting we had was recorded (something she never did to anyone else). Every time I pushed this up the all female chain of command it fell on deaf ears. Eventually I left the company, just like they wanted. My position was filled by my boss's female friend. I am told by someone that still works there she had been badmouthing me behind my back for over 2 years.

Keep in mind this is a company where other female employees openly said they discriminated against men. They host and sponsor feminist events. They openly say their pride themselves on hiring women.

When I reported my manager for harassment, it was me against a clique that openly made it clear where they stand, and that stance was firmly against men. This just showed me that harassment against men is real, and when the deck is stacked against you there is little that can be done.