A female colleague just wolf whistled at a male colleague in the office

[EhricLovesTheBhrothers]

And said loudly 'X has legs!' Because he's wearing shorts.
This man is a lot younger and quite self conscious about his accent so I wouldn't put him as a confident, bantery type. I'm really cross, but I don't know what if anything I can do. Should I raise it with our manager?
Se also said that his legs were white because he was English and that's how they should be. This was in response to him saying 'they are very white' but also seems a bit personal and also racist...?

I work in an environment where sexual harassment would be treated very seriously by the way.

She doesn't sound very nice and I would imagine personal remarks are considered unprofessional, aren't they?

I might check what he thinks before going to your manager. That way he knows you'll support him as it sounds like you want to.

Could you talk to him and let him know that you felt it was unprofessional and unacceptable behaviour, and ask if he would like anything to be done (ie going to line managers etc)?

Are you the sort of person who is tactful unlike me and could have a quick word?

Haha no. I don't know her well but we are on similar grades. I think we share a line manager who I get on wth so chatting to her would be the easiest.
The man is young (about 20 years her junior) and we would never be likely to have a chance to talk discreetly (v different roles, open plan office) so unless I emailed him I wouldn't get a chance to talk to him. I'd also worry that he'd be likely to dismiss it due to age, gender and seniority and not want to make a fuss.

It's the wolf whistle that has bothered me most. If a male senior staff member did it to a woman he'd be crucified.

That doesn't sound right to me at all but a tough one to deal with. I think the best thing would be to speak to her directly. Maybe you could approach it in a 'didn't realise you were so friendly with John? He didn't look like he enjoyed your joke.' type of way. Although that could be tricky if you don't really know her well. Perhaps speaking to your line manager informally might be the next best thing, but I'd make it clear that John hasn't complained himself and doesn't know that you're raising this.

Sorry to any John's out there.

How would you deal it if the sexes were reversed? It's not really that tricky. It's unacceptable behaviour. A man behaving like that in my office would find himself having words with the managing partner.

Yeah you're right. I've decided I will raise it during supervision next week. It's really not ok.

I am an employer and this is how I would deal with it.

I would not raise it direct with her. That has many opportunities of going badly. I would request a meeting with HR and/or the diversity partner (yes we really do have one) and tell them of my concerns making clear the young man hasn't complained.

It's then up to them to deal with her by applying the firm policy. This behaviour is contrary to stated policy in the employee handbook. It is also contrary to the value statements the partners sign up to.

I couldn't raise it directly with her even if I wanted to, I don't know her well at all and yes, it could go very wrong. It's not my job to be diplomatic (well not to colleagues anyway) that's what managers are paid for!
I'm sure this woman would be horrified to have it framed as sexual harassment and wouldn't think for a minute that he might have felt uncomfortable and exposed by her comments, because only men can be creepy and only women get victimised, right?
Grrrrr

I'm sure this woman would be horrified to have it framed as sexual harassment and wouldn't think for a minute that he might have felt uncomfortable and exposed by her comments, because only men can be creepy and only women get victimised, right?

Yes, but if it were the other way round, there wouldn't be any question about it being sexual harassment and out of order. And whether or not she meant it to be harassing isn't relevant - it's whether the person on the other end felt harassed by it. Even if he didn't, or even if he didn't speak up about it, you clearly felt uncomfortable with it.

I'd check the code of conduct (ours is very clear on such things, and this behaviour is out of order whoever is doing it or receiving it) and I'd go to HR, too. (Well, in my case, I'd go to HR and point out that this is why they should be giving harassment training and unconscious bias to everyone, not just senior managers, and please could they see my previous comments on this, but I'm assuming you haven't got a history like that!) I probably would also mail the man it was aimed at, if I knew his name, to offer him support if he felt he needed it. But I think the main thing is that people don't seem to be aware that such behaviour isn't really on, so probably there needs to be some general training of some sort. (I had really good harassment training at a previous company, which was compulsory for everyone, but I don't imagine it was cheap to do.)

Yet if it were the other way round you would be complaining.

Hypocrite

Have you lost the powers of reading comprehension? Or perhaps you never had them.

And as someone else pointed out if a man did that to a poor, fragile woman he would end up being fired and taken to court for sexual harrassment

But when a women does it feminists are like "you go girl!"

Definitely needs reporting - this is unacceptable behaviour.

Meddiao you clearly can't read - do you have someone doing your typing for you? Either way it's great to have someone with low intelligence participating here. Keep it up buddy, but do get your helper to read the posts for you properly ok honey?

If ehric is big enough to dish it out she is big enough to take it.

Dish what out Meddaio. I'm still concerned that your helper isn't reading the posts properly to you. Or perhaps you're on another thread and getting confused?

If someone tells another to fuck off they don't have any grounds for complaining when they are told to fuck off back.

Nobody is complaining about your swearing at me, I could not care less.

I have reported both posts however because PAs are not allowed.