Ok, was at the toddler group at my gym yesterday. There's a young guy working there with Downs. He sees us regularly at the weekly family fun nights there on Thursday evenings. As I was paying for the toddler session, he asks me if we're coming to the fun night that evening. No, I say. Why? he wants to know. Because my oldest daughter (who he knows) was tired and had been throwing a couple of tantrums this week. I felt she needed an earlier night. Oh, he says, how old is she? Six, I reply (so far, so good, just a general chitchat at this point). At which point an older guy, who also works at the gym, in his 50s, laughs lecherously and tells the younger guy, Too young for you then! The lad with Downs laughs uncertainly. He's just making conversation and I don't think he knows what to do with this comment. Lechy guy in his 50s follows it up with another derisive snort and the comment that he (the lad with Downs) goes after anything in a skirt. I felt uncomfortable at this point. But he then told the lad with Downs (who looked confused by the way the conversation had shifted), she'd be no good for him then.
I grimaced and walked off, slightly taken aback by the older guys comments. Now I wonder whether I should mention it to the gym manager next time I'm there. Not to make a serious complaint, but so that he could just have a word with this guy. Firstly, I felt his comments were inappropriate about a 6 year old girl. Secondly, I think he was disrespectful towards the lad with Downs. My husband was outraged by the whole thing.
I don't want to over-react here, but I think the older guy needs to be told to grow up and not talk so inappropriately about little kids or exploit someone with a disability for his own amusement. On both grounds it just seems so wrong.
So would you say anything to the manager or simply dismiss him a pathetic twat and just get on with the million and one other things in life there is to get on with?