Outbreak of yelling at women staffers in the state Senate.

The final three days of the regular legislative session can be long and intense, especially for the members struggling to get their bills across the finish line. That is not an excuse for legislators to yell at staff members.

In the past 12 days there have two wildly inappropriate instances of members of the Senate Democratic caucus yelling at women staff members. The incidents occurred in the presence of other legislators who remained silent. Each woman declined to escalate the moment because they are mature adults. Other senators who witnessed the scenes could have intervened, but they did not. Other witnesses were uncomfortable and also silent.

The Capitol village has long been a man’s world. Not everyone has adjusted to the sporadic progress women have made in the established order. The two recent incidents have caused considerable comment and privately expressed scorn.

Judith Martin (“Miss Manners”) calls etiquette “a common language of behavior” that provides a foundation for our enduring civil society. Regrettably, bullies are in fashion in some quarters, but their victims are not without defenses. Bullies always cry foul in the face of an effective fightback.

This would be a good day for the shouty senators to apologize and adhere to a standard that reflects what Governor Lamont calls “Connecticut values.” It would be the right thing to do, but also the smart one because those targets of the bullies, well, it’s not their first time at the rodeo. And they have dealt with a lot worse than you, fellas.

If anyone needs a refresher on modern manners, the writer, podcast personality and Britain’s expert on proper behavior William Hanson recently written a book, Just Good Manners, that shows the way forward.

Published June 2, 2025.