I'm pretty sure I got sexually harassed at work today. And not the good kind like in Disclosure where my really hot boss forces me to have sex with her against my will. This was from a guy. I guess sexual harassment is a bit of a harsh term for, it's not like he is making advances at me or anything, he just makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable whenever he's around. He always comes over to my cubicle, puts both hands on the back of my chair, and hovers over top of me looking at my computer all sleazylike. Then he will sit on my desk awkwardly close to me and ask weird questions about dancing or something equally cringe worthy. It seems very benign but for some reason it makes me shudder a little bit. I'm just dreading the day when I get an unsolicited shoulder massage.
The thing about it is that I'm not the least bit homophobic. I worked in a restaurant for a couple years after college and had a gay boss who openly flirted with me. Hardly a day went by when he didn't make an overtly sexual remark or proposition me and it didn't bother me at all, in fact it was funny, it turned into a running joke. Actually it was kind of flattering. Some people just give off a much creepier vibe.
He's not even gay (which makes the previous paragraph completely unnecessary but whatever). Well he may be, he just doesn't know it yet. He is from India and once said that the concept of homosexuality was completely foreign to him until he came to America for school. Also in India, according to him, it's totally normal to walk around with your arm around a buddy. This sort of seemed like p.d.a. to me (well that or like one of the old Mentos commercials). Another coworker decided to investigate that claim a little further so we asked some of the other Indian folks at work(there are quite a few). Not only did they refute that claim, they said homosexuality is not at all an alien idea in the home country. He named an apparently very famous and openly gay actor to which the other incredulously replied, "He's gay?"
Maybe I am homophobic and don't even realize. Maybe my former bosses' sexual overtures didn't bother me because they were so outward that a joke could be made out of it and I'm more distressed now because I don't know if it's gay or not and the fact that it might be is what weirds me out. I'm not really sure but either way I wish he would stop sitting on my damn desk because it gives me the willies.
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10 comments:
He probably really does want to give you his willy. I have noticed that foreigners do tend to feel more free to invade personal space, although for the most part I haven't noticed any sexual overtones in my experience.
also, this post makes me a saaaaaaaaaaad panda
HEY, we don't to kindly to Panda Bears 'round these parts.
also i should mention that i dont actually think the dude is trying to sodomize me, just that he makes me really uncomfortable at work.
does he stare at your crotch when he talks to you? cause that would be crossing the line
Stop wearing deoderant, and step in some dog crap on the way to work ... maybe the smell will make him move back a little.
maybe you are gay
In many cultures it is a sign of respect to be in close proximity of the person that you are conversing with.
Maybe he doesn't understand the personal space bubble we have here in the U.S.
P.S. Sorry about killing a small part of you with the mamel toe comment on Ash's blog.
Steph-yes i agree with that assessment
JW-no he does not, that would be weird
Los-I like where your heads at with the suggestion, the only drawback would me having to smell myself, I don't think I'm willing to give up my freshness
Brian-yes there is always that possibility
Rachel-I did not know that was a sign of respect, perhaps I should be flattered instead of weirded out.
It made me giggle when you included "talking about dancing" in the list of things co-worker was doing to make you feel violated. I can just picture a pamphlet out there somewhere for teens questioning their orientation with a checklist of "you might be gay if you..." and talking about dancing would be somewhere on there.
That rocks.
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