Strange interaction at work and no one else sees the issue?

How did it go with the other colleague? Let me guess, he was wildly out of order with her too?

Take it seriously, he's probably always been a sexist dick.

She is his manager. What he did was incredibly disrespectful. It’s not a generational thing. I am late 50s

It’s being a disrespectful idiot who does not know how to behave in a professional environment.

What might he be doing / saying to junior women if he’s like this with his manager?

You can't see the difference between what you've described and what happened with the OP???

Actually he probably would

This needs to be recorded on his HR file and at least a verbal warning. Don't under-estimate the importance of nipping this in the bud and recording it in writing in the right way. Not just the fact it was inappropriate but also the fact that he wanted to make light of a serious incident at work. He obviously has some impulsivity issues and struggles when things take a serious turn. Some people simply cannot handle serious stuff and do stupid things like this. Considering the poor judgement and impulsivity I would suspect t something else may crop up in the future. Further down the line if anything else goes wrong you will be glad you did.

Some of the older people on here are making the older generation look like a bunch of pick-me's. I assure those of you who are younger that this kind of behaviour was never acceptable to many of us. What's worse, is that these pick-me's are trying to say that just because they found it acceptable that OP should too.

When I was younger I often wished that the older women in the work place were more supportive when you faced such issues. They made it easier for people to get away with disgusting behaviour. I was hoping that things had changed. It appears not.

This wasn’t a game of office cricket. This was a professional interaction between a manager and a junior member of staff-potentially a disciplinary. Surely you can see the difference?

There is a difference between consensual banter - a kind of shared language in a team - and what OP was subjected to. That has never been OK.

It made you feel uncomfortable.
It’s unlikely he would have done it to a male manager.
It’s highly unlikely a female employee would do this in a similar situation.

I’d follow whatever the disciplinary procedure is. If it’s “just how he is”, he needs to change “how he is”.

You never worked anywhere, were there was a bit of banter or fooling around? We had a cricket game in the office one lunchtime when we had a few summer students (soft ball only), and the boss joined in! We worked very hard most of the time, but we did have some fun too. I can't think of anywhere I worked where there wasn't a bit of light hearted joking around thank goodness.

Exactly and would a woman have done what he did, no way. He gets away with it bc "it is what he is like">

It was a big issue in that it was a serious, professional meeting that he tried to minimise (presumably because he knew he was in the wrong) by making a crude, totally inappropriate joke. Do you think this sort of behaviour would be appropriate in, say, an interview? If not, why not?

And FYI I love working with my colleagues- they are friendly and supportive but remain professional whilst able to share a joke where appropriate. You might see the world as a dull, depressing place but it really isn't if you're with the right people.

Was he the one at fault in the original argument, he was trying to minimise whatever happened, but without knowing what actually happened in the first argument it's difficult to comment on his reaction to being 'sent to the headmaster's office'. I assume that was the vibe he was going for. Yes it's inappropriate and stupid. Is this normally a very serious (professional) working environment where it would be absolutely beyond the pale, or a fairly relaxed environment where a bit of fooling around is 'normal'? I'm not sure it was intended as sexual or misogynistic, but it could be interpreted that way.

I find it such a lie when people say this sort of thing used to be acceptable in the workplace. It was NEVER acceptable behaviour. Not in the places where I worked, it wasn't.

Really really inappropriate.

It also suggests that the only people a woman should be managing are children.

Not that it would be acceptable to hit children - especially as he suggested- but obviously this is what happened in the past.

All the men you told reckoned it was OK? What does that say about them? Men are cracking up.

This

You need HR to step in. Tell them and write down exactly what happened between him and you. And make clear that your manager was unable to support you.

I’m 54 and I think it’s grim. Really grim.

Its not generational. I'm in my mid 50s and also remember a time when sexual harassment and sex discrimination against women was rife in the workplace.
As a young manager I've had men pull that stunt with me. At the time, I laughed too. The typical fawning response of a woman who knew that her authority was conditional on the approval of her male juniors, in an environment where regardless of job title, the power lay with them.
30 years on, wiser, and in a world where some improvements have been made through legislation, the last thing I'd be doing is harking back to the 'good old days' and encouraging younger women to allow themselves to be belittled and demeaned by men who resent their seniority.
Any approval women earn from sexist men by giggling and colluding is an illusion. They don't see you as an equal or respect you for it. Because men with the capacity to respect women don't behave that way in the first place.

I'm 66. It's not in the least bit funny.

His behaviour is completely unacceptable in a workplace.

Oh and as what passes for "an older person" "older generation" on MN I'm fed up of that excuse being trotted out to excuse unacceptable behaviour.

Crude weirdo...
Only you know him and what he probably meant.

As manager, you must tell him why that was weird & unprofessional.

Where's the innuendo or euphemism?
It's just a man suggesting he should be spanked (by a woman).

Im nearly 60 and would have been totally Taken aback if a colleague started taking his belt off and mimed being spanked IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING. I think the tiresome Bant culture had died a death in workplaces, but it always seems to rise again from the grave.

That is completely inappropriate and speaks volumes about his attitude to female colleagues (and also makes me feel rather sick). I would absolutely be reporting this shit to HR.