Sexual innuendos in the work place: How many of us have men who behave like this at work?

[DrNortherner]

Went into a store cupboard today, colleague came in behind me 'looking for something' and said "ooooh, I've always wanted to get you in a cupboard". I just laughed it off, but thought about just how inappropriate it was.

He is a senior Director, and we only ever say Hello/Good morning to each other, have never entered into any banter whatsoever. So why did he feel it was acceptable to say it?

Thinking about my work place there are lots of perves and innuendos, anyone elses the same as this?

It's not a joke. Jokes are funny. That comment was creepy, inappropriate and as pp have said depends on the power differential. The recipient of the comment would find it difficult to immediately point out the inappropriateness because of it.

But anyway... this is a ZOMBIE THREAD... the op posted 8 years ago. Looks like we haven't moved on at all, with apologists for sexism still popping up here to spout their drivel.

I used to work at a company where there was a lot of (mutual) sexual innuendo and silliness between the sales team - mainly individuals in their 40s/50s. It never bothered me but none of them were creepy with it.

It's definitely a fine line though. I do whether this type of innuendo is so common because of the unspoken but ever present sexual undercurrents between mixed groups - as in you're always subconsciously assessing the attractiveness/mateability of a member of the opposite sex even you don't acknowledge it.

There isn't an "ever-present" sexual undercurrent in mixed groups. I'm not assessing the attractiveness of my work colleagues at any level conscious, sub or unconscious.

That sort of low lever sexual harassment is the sort that most men have decided it is harmless, until the documentation piles up and the disciplinary hearing is underway. Then they pretend to be so shocked that they participated in creating a hostile work environment for women.

I find it hilarious how butt hurt the troll is that women don’t find creepy objectifying comments from senior members of staff in a confined space funny... so butt hurt that he made an account and resurrected a thread from 7 years ago just to tell everyone he is butt hurt!

Men are just so oversensitive and emotional...

I did not notice the date.
The MRAs and TRAs are having a rage fueled rummage through the Mumsnet archives lately.

Assassinated.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. It's proven that's men's testosterone rises when engaging in competitive acts in the presence of females (mating competitiveness) and the very way in which we are innately disgusted by diseased appearances etc and find younger, healthier people more attractive is down to subconscious assrssment of mating suitability - I'm pretty sure there are loads of studies on all this.

Pretty sure I also read recently that the reason we find generally find symettrical features more attractive is because they indicate strong genetic disposition and lower likelihood of genetic abnormalities etc.

I don't care what men may or may not be doing, and assessing someone's attractiveness/"mating suitability" is not the same as there being an "ever present sexual undercurrent".