Why Women Feel Unsafe Working in Coffee (Isabela Raposeiras) | EP1122 Part 2 of 5 | Map It Forward
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Episode Description
**CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, sexual harassment, physical violence, workplace intimidation, psychological abuse, discrimination, and transphobia. Some of the personal experiences shared may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening.
This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil.
The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and in this episode, we're examining the different ways women experience unsafe environments in the coffee industry, sometimes without immediately recognising that what they're experiencing is unacceptable.
Not all unsafe situations begin with physical violence. Sometimes they begin with an inappropriate comment, a sexist joke, the undermining of professional expertise, or a workplace culture where women know there will be consequences if they speak up.
Lee recounts her experience working in a Hollywood café, where she was physically assaulted by a male colleague, received no support from her employer, and felt unable to leave because her income and visa depended on the job. She explains the psychological impact of returning to a workplace where the people responsible knew how vulnerable her circumstances made her.
Isabela discusses how women are frequently underestimated professionally, including in technical areas such as coffee roasting, and how a culture of silence protects inappropriate behaviour.
She also shares a recent experience involving a transgender employee at Coffee Lab who was repeatedly misgendered and mistreated by a customer, despite attempting to handle the situation professionally.
Together, Lee and Isabela explore why women may freeze or remain silent when their boundaries are violated, how seemingly small acts of disrespect can contribute to unsafe environments, and why bystanders and employers have a responsibility to intervene.
The conversation also examines how women can reinforce gender bias themselves, the higher standards women often feel compelled to meet, and the professional consequences of being successful in workplaces where male egos influence decisions.
Creating a safe workplace involves much more than preventing physical violence. It requires recognising the behaviours that undermine safety, understanding how power influences people's ability to respond, and refusing to normalise conduct that makes others feel threatened, humiliated, or professionally vulnerable.
In Part 3, we'll examine the boys' club in coffee and how informal networks of power and loyalty influence who gets supported, protected, and taken seriously.
Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab:
Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/
Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/