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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Office 'banter' - sex V porn

6 replies

Otins · 23/05/2024 16:36

I (female, 50) work in an office with 6 males (early 20s - late 30s). I work PT, they are all FT.

Occasionally there is a purile sex joke, which is fine. I tend to not join in or comment, but it doesn't bother me. (Think schoolboy innuendo, eg the No 69 bus, snigger)

One colleague has made quite a few jokes recently about porn. References to "Oh, is that your OnlyFans page?" (not directed at me, but to another male colleague) These make me feel uncomfortable.

Am I being prudish?

Am I right to consider there is a difference between sex and porn in this scenario? (or in the case of office 'banter', are they both as bad as each other and neither has a place in the workplace?)

Not sure if I'm being objective as I don't especially like the colleague who is making the references.

You are being unreasonable: If you're not bothered about sex jokes, why are you bothered about porn jokes?
You are not being unreasonable: There is a difference.

Whatever the outcome, if I am being made to feel uncomfortable, should I ask this person to be more appropriate?

OP posts:
Galgamoc · 23/05/2024 16:45

Yabu

The joke wasn't remotely explicit. It wasn't directed to you. OnlyFans is part of young meme/social media culture.

Solidlump · 23/05/2024 16:48

Personally I wouldn't have been happy with the sex jokes.And it seems that because they didn't get a reaction out of you they are pushing the boundary.
If they are making you feel uncomfortable with their talk then it is a form of bullying.
Personally I would be telling them that is crossing a line and if they still continued then I would be raising the issue with management or HR.

missmollygreen · 23/05/2024 16:49

YABU, unless they where showing each other naked men while making the joke?

ComtesseDeSpair · 23/05/2024 16:50

I don’t think jokes about sex or porn are appropriate for the office generally, largely because nobody can be certain of anybody else’s comfort levels, but I wouldn’t find one man joking to another “is that your OnlyFans page” - when it presumably clearly wasn’t - uncomfortable. As long as they’re friends and both found it funny, it isn’t involving or insulting anyone else.

MaryMaryVeryContrary · 23/05/2024 16:51

I love puerile office banter and flirting.

SirenGirl · 23/05/2024 17:01

I wouldn't like it either and it's nothing to do with being a prude. It's inappropriate for a workplace and that is all that matters. I'll make jokes with my pals but I wouldn't dream of making them in a workplace.

I'd ask them to stop.

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