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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU: swearing ban at work

281 replies

JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:27

We’ve all recently been moved around offices and I’ve ended up in an office which has a swearing ban. I’d been there 2 hours when I was told by member of staff that she doesn’t like swearing and doesn’t want it in her office. I hadn’t sworn she was just letting me know.

We are the same level at work and after asking other members of staff who’ve worked with her for a long time she really really hates swearing and pulls people up on it.

Fair enough she doesn’t want people screaming fucking cuntbadger across the office but crap, damn and bloody are also on the banned list.

I realise I’ve come into “her” office but AIBU to think she can’t police other adults language (especially as we are all the same grade). I don’t particularly like the egg sandwiches she eats every day but I’m not going to ban them!

OP posts:
Cruddles · 04/07/2019 17:29

Tell her to stick it, using polite language of course

Original poster
JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:29

I have to say I swear like a trooper but I don’t appreciate being told LANGUAGE by another adult when I’m in the middle of a conversation with someone else.

Feels like my mum is telling me off!

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 04/07/2019 17:31

Yanbu..I think the sooner you start swearing the better. Laughingly announce "Not a bloody chance "! She sounds like a little dictator.

Lemonandmint · 04/07/2019 17:31

Is it "her" office though? Is she somehow in charge? I'm not sure how I would get through the day without a bit of swearing if I'm honest.

HighlyUnlikely · 04/07/2019 17:32

WTF? How does she go about daily life, she must hear it all the time in bars, transport, tv...

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 04/07/2019 17:32

Feck me I'd have to leave lol

Original poster
JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:32

The office I’ve just moved from was very sweary. Manager would often announce they needed a cunting coffee so not even being allowed to say damn is Hmm

OP posts:
DisplayPurposesOnly · 04/07/2019 17:32

In what way is it a ban? What are the sanctions?

mimibunz · 04/07/2019 17:32

I don’t find it difficult to not swear so this wouldn’t bother me. She can’t enforce a ban on her peers but she can probably tell your superiors that she finds you unprofessional for swearing. Is this a battle you want to pick?

sackrifice · 04/07/2019 17:33

I don’t particularly like the egg sandwiches she eats every day but I’m not going to ban them!

Tell her every day 'I don't like your fucking egg sandwiches so I'm thinking of fucking banning them. what do you think?'

Original poster
JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:33

It’s her office in the sense that she has been physically in that office for a number of years and we’ve just been moved in there.

Ironically because they are trying to stop people from claiming offices as their own and introduce more of a hot desking situation

OP posts:
Minkies11 · 04/07/2019 17:34

I'd stay mute in protest and just hold up a series a flash cards Grin
With bloody, crap and damn on them.

Original poster
JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:34

The sanctions seem to be her telling you off in the manner of “language please” whenever you slip up

OP posts:
Redglitter · 04/07/2019 17:35

If its 'banned' what exactly happens if you do swear?

wildcherries · 04/07/2019 17:36

Cunting coffee Grin Stealing that.

Tell her she can't police another adult's language. It would piss me off and I'd want to swear even more. And why is she is in charge like this, anyway? Can't believe they've let her get away with it.

ScreamingValenta · 04/07/2019 17:36

It depends what you mean by a ban. If you've been asked to respect someone's wishes and avoid swearing in their hearing, I don't think that's unreasonable.

If it's an official ban built into your HR policy, it's up to you to decide whether you're prepared to accept it as part of your job.

Redglitter · 04/07/2019 17:36

Cross post

Oh ffs quite honestly thatd just make me more inclined to swear more - because I AM that childish

Stationeryqueen · 04/07/2019 17:38

you need one of these for your morning brew! www.firebox.com/UNT-Mug/p6086

mbosnz · 04/07/2019 17:38

Nope, sorry, wouldn't work for me. I'll tolerate your bloody disgusting egg sandwiches, and you tolerate my damned swearing. Or otherwise, just fuck off. Not your office, and you're not teacher.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 04/07/2019 17:39

Fuck. That. Shit.

I don’t swear a lot at work, but there are some situations that just need a FFS or similar.

iMatter · 04/07/2019 17:40

You could try that really annoying and twee faux swearing - fudge, sugar etc.

Or maybe say feck a lot

GabriellaMontez · 04/07/2019 17:40

You're going to have to swear so regularly that she stops commenting.

Unless you're dealing with the public or swearing at her she should stop policing you.

cingolimama · 04/07/2019 17:40

This is unbelievably prissy! She doesn't have to swear if she doesn't want to, but she doesn't get to police other's language. Who does she think she is?

The funny thing is that I have a colleague who I know doesn't like swearing. She's never said anything about words that come out of my mouth (I'm quite sweary), and knowing how she feels, I tend to tone it down anyway.

OralBElectricToothbrush · 04/07/2019 17:41

Fuck her off! She's not the business owner or your manager. 'I don't like it'. 'Tough shit.'

mbosnz · 04/07/2019 17:41

She'd die of far too many fits of the vapours if she worked in my old office. Or with my DH.