Remove your arm or I will rip it off and beat you to death with it...

[fireheart]

Cookies for the reference!

So I have a short story today that left me stewing for hours afterwards.

Today, I did my usual, shifting around the front end...Sundays for me usually mean I get to do jobs at some stage but that's beside the point. One of today's jobs included cleaning up a pinkish stain. So I go to clean and the guy who was waiting to be served by a coworker says...

"I love to see a woman on her knees."



Now, for those who aren't familiar, I do not take comments like that lightly. So I stood up and ignored him. He continued to bait me going "are you deaf? Oh, you must be deaf." What the heck were you expecting me to do, laugh?!
I just plonked his spray down and left.

I gave the service desk a quick headsup so that if he stated that I was rude, this was why etc. I then related the story to the MOD for that day, who admitted that it was rather offensive and that ignoring him was the way to go.

Tell you what though, the urge to whack him over the head with a frozen salmon was VERY tempting.

[MercenaryMuffin]

Wow, what a douchebag. Did he think you were going to laugh at some sexist joke?

[fireheart]

I had a guy in the past Merce, make a comment along the lines of "are you gonna strip-search me?"

First time around, I just got extremely snippy with him.
Second time around, he went through my male coworker's line. Said coworker is gay, but not obviously gay. Does the same thing. Coworker later pointed out he was harmless.

With this guy though, I get the feeling he may have been trying to bait me a bit.

[Slytovhand]

Leave the salmons alone!!!!!

I'm surprised you didn't say something to him along the lines of "Do you have any ideas just how sexist that is?"... or worse.


"I'll rip your bloody arms off!"... pack of cookies for the reference!

[SilverOrb]

Yes he may be "harmless". So?

Just because you are at work does NOT give someone the right to say something like that.

Tossing it off as no big deal only serves to compound the problem. Deal with it the first time and you won't have to the next.

[Amina516]

Yes he may be "harmless". So?

Just because you are at work does NOT give someone the right to say something like that.

Tossing it off as no big deal only serves to compound the problem. Deal with it the first time and you won't have to the next.

Exactly!!

I hate when people try to tell yoy to brush it off and that person didn't mean it. IF they didnt mean it, then dont fuckin say it! Bastards.

[AnaKhouri]

Ugh, that only happened to me once. This guy came by as I was straightening some books on a bottom shelf. He said, "That's where a woman should be, on her knees." And then he took off! What a coward! So I stood up and yelled after him, "Yeah, you better run, little boy!"

He turned around like he was going to pick a fight with me but a lot of other customers had stopped to stare, so he took off again.

I have a whole stock of retorts in my brain, if I ever remember to use them, if something like that happens again. My first in line is to look the guy up and down, twist up my face, and say, "Ew, I don't think so." Kick 'em in the ego.

[Jester]

"I love to see a woman on her knees."

Now, I have to admit, I have used that line. But only with friends and coworkers. You know, people I can say such shit to. NOT to complete strangers at their jobs.

So, my suggestion?

HIM: "I love to see a woman on her knees."
YOU: "And I love to see a man doubled over in pain clutching his balls." Said with a meaningful death stare.

[Chanlin]

NCIS ftw Classic line uttered by Agent Ziva David.

And seriously, where do people get off thinking comments like that are appropriate to say to complete strangers. News flash, YOU ARE NOT FUNNY!

[the lawsmeister]

"I'll rip your bloody arms off!"... pack of cookies for the reference!

Aunty Jack??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnEOr1MgwTM

[jedimaster91]

So, my suggestion?

HIM: "I love to see a woman on her knees."
YOU: "And I love to see a man doubled over in pain clutching his balls." Said with a meaningful death stare.

That is pure win right there. I'll have to remember that one.

[fireheart]

I'll check with my manager about that one he might allow us a bit more leeway.

He's in a similar boat as I am regarding sexist comments, for two reasons:

1) Being male and running the front end usually results in him being mistaken for a supervisor, not the manager. (The only female managers at the current moment are in bakery, deli and seafood, everyone else is male, upper management included. For some reason though, they expect Front End Management to be female.)
2) We have a vast majority of female staff under the age of 25.

I honestly do not know how I should be reacting, but a comment like that won't get me fired as far as I know, IF I can back myself up.

[Zellie Crescent]

Tell you what though, the urge to whack him over the head with a frozen salmon was VERY tempting.

I'll give you one for free just for that.

[jjllbb]

What's strange is that for every other story I've read here I've agreed that staying silent is the thing to do. That ignoring them and keeping the job is right.

But THIS comment...for some reason, I think something needed to be said. The level of disgust I have for such an inappropriate comment....that guy should shut the hell up. Someone needs to shut him up.

[Peppergirl]

What bothers me is that all of these sexual harassment laws are in being enforced in the work place now, but we continue to read where it seems to be perfectly acceptable to management and corporate for customers to sexually harass workers. "Oh, just ignore it!" Indeed.

And before anyone flips out on me, sexual harassment in ANY form is appalling...it just seems like there's no protection of employees when the harasser is a customer.

This is a very disturbing trend.