"Dear White Staffers" - D.C.'s Gossip Girl

The reckoning has come for Washington, D.C. Treatment of aides on the Hill has been exposed by an anonymous Instagram account called "Dear White Staffers", where hundreds of former staffers have alleged horrible treatment by their superiors. Pay so low that workers depend on food stamps, blocking staffers of color from earning higher positions, sexual harassment, and verbal abuse are just a few concerns flagged by the Instagram account. Ex-Staffer Melissa Sullivan highlighted the toxic work culture in both the Senate and the House, saying that one of their coworkers was ordered by a superior to keep a detailed log of every time someone went to the restroom (source). 

It's worth noting how social media has enabled this exposé. The ability of ordinary people to publish and share information in such an effective way is unprecedented. Through Instagram, hundreds of people who would otherwise be disenfranchised from sharing their stories through other forms of mass media are able to have their voices heard. Hopefully, this movement encourages true change in D.C.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/04/inside-congressional-staffer-instagram-rebellion-00005505

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/07/dear-white-staffers-instagram-reckoning-capitol-hill-abuses/