I felt small and had to stay professional

Dear Delyara, A man corrected me in front of other people in a tone that was more about power than clarity. I knew it. He knew it. The room knew it and behaved as if nothing had happened. And because I am an adult who needs the job, I had to keep my face still, nod once, and carry on as if my body had not just reacted to being diminished in public. I think that is why work humiliation lingers so long. It doesn’t end when the moment ends. It gets trapped in the professionalism required immediately afterward. By the time I got home, I wasn’t only angry. I was tired from containing anger properly.