[WeirdFlexButOky]

What the heck.

As a (trans) woman who is non-tech in a tech company I find this stat concerning.

Just talk to me like a I'm a fellow human, it's not that hard!

PS; not too sure what 'working alone' means in terms of a common work activity?

[anonymous5133]

The problem is people don't know what will offend you so they play the safe route of avoiding all contact. No discussions means no risk of lawsuit, accusations etc.

I used to work at a construction company where the owner was paranoid about sexual harassment lawsuits. For this reason, he specifically hired overweight older women for all of the administrative staff because he knew this would minimize the risk of sexual harassment lawsuits. The company never had any issues with it.

[WeirdFlexButOky]

'specifically hired overweight older women for all of the administrative staff because he knew this would minimize the risk of sexual harassment lawsuits'

I honestly cannot believe this mindset exists, that's insane. Basing hiring decisions like this is redic. It also assumes overweight older women are not attractive, and idk whether they've seen porn website stats but that's a flawed assumption.

[who-knows95]

except, there are a whole bunch of factors that play into this.

it's not just men seeing woman as something other than human, it's fear, misinformation, the idea the men are always the predator, mixed with the fact that both legitimate and illegitimate claims look the same i.e he said/ she said, half the time.

I totally get why men are aware that any misstep, even in it's most accidental way could be seen as harassment, and be career ending.

plus, from a outside perspective, a male boss working closely with a younger female is always going to raise eyebrows, even if their relationship is purely work/professional.

woman carry keys in their fists walking home, in fear that they might be attacked.

men avoid being in "compromising" situations with woman in the work place, even if it's just professional.

though, this is just my opinion.

[WeirdFlexButOky]

'plus, from a outside perspective, a male boss working closely with a younger female is always going to raise eyebrows, even if their relationship is purely work/professional.'

Hard disagree.

[who-knows95]

you are allowed to disagree, but from my view/experience that's the standard.

[WordSkill]

The whole trans thing has become so politicized over the past few years, I suspect a lot of guys would worry that a trans colleague would be far more likely to construe innocent interactions as discrimination.

[WeirdFlexButOky]

I'm sorry if there are people who feel this way.

[forgottenpass]

>Just talk to me like a I'm a fellow human, it's not that hard!

I can't/don't talk to anyone at work the way I talk to "fellow humans." When I see friends from work off the clock, that's when I treat them like fellow humans. I can't talk to them like that at the office.

Working in software, I am much more socially reserved and careful in my choice of words than at any of the blue collar jobs I've had. I can see the social pressure, I can read the norms. Telling me just to be me isn't going to work, I'm not _that_ socially oblivious.

[oblio]

I'm guessing 1-on-1?

[WeirdFlexButOky]

Yeah, I guess so