Head to the Desk to the WTF

[grammarwoman]

It might come off in reading my rants about work that I don't think much of my coworkers, that I think they're small-minded, frustratingly conservative, hypocritical bigots. Sometimes I feel bad for presenting them that way. Being bored with the constant babble of sports, reality TV, and petty gossip is a reflection on me more than them, right?

Then there are times like today's lunch, where I arrived to a few people talking about a guy winning Wheel of Fortune and pointing out his fiance (male, in case it's not clear by the gendered ending) in the crowd. There was evidently even a kiss on the cheek exchanged. My female coworker, in relaying this anecdote, actually flinched in distaste, and fluttered with a "On prime time TV, can you believe it?" I tried to reply evenly with "You love who you love, right?" The other people grumbled and shifted uncomfortably, and the female coworker replied "Well, I can't understand it. I even did an essay on it in high school [this would have been 30 years ago or so]. You know..." obvious pause for regrouping, "Homosexuality." Much head shaking around the table ensued.

It makes me feel sick and want to cry all at the same time. WTF, people! Still? Way to support the Central Illinois, small-town Midwesterner stereotype.

Pardon me while I go read some slash and try not to go on a rampage.

Comments

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

I hate stupid people.

fluttered with a "On prime time TV, can you believe it?"

Yes. Yes I can, and be very glad to see it.

*hugs*

[grammarwoman]

Seriously, my brain was stuttering, "What? You didn't just...WTF?"

Stupid people SUCK.

sigh

[extatosoma.livejournal.com]

Um, seriously? Your coworker must have been living in a cave for the last few years if she's never seen dudes kiss before.

Re: sigh

[grammarwoman]

In a lot of ways, C-U is like living in a cave, if you don't go anywhere near downtown or campus, or hang out with new people.

She doesn't do any of those things.

[barefoot-chick.livejournal.com]

Stupid people make my head hurt.

Stupid, homophobic, stupid people.

*HEADDESK*

[grammarwoman]

Exactly. It makes me want to gape at them with "What the hell is wrong with you?"

[mrsdrjackson.livejournal.com]

Are you sure we don't work in the same location? *glares at coworkers* When we listen to the radio we can't leave it on if "I kissed a girl" by Katy Perry comes on because my coworkers think "it is disgusting and wrong to sing about that." But listening to their super-Christian talk show telling us all about how I am going to burn in hell is just fine! @_@

[grammarwoman]

You should have seen the eye rolling going on when I was complaining about Prop 8 passing in California. Seriously conservative here. (Never mind that the divorce rate here is massively higher than average, and supposedly Christian coworkers are the biggest of the judgmental assholes.)

[mrsdrjackson.livejournal.com]

I didn't dare complain about Prop 8 in-front of most of my coworkers. The last homosexual we had in the kitchen was *tormented* by one of the cooks (who should have been FIRED frakking bitch) and we put her in her place. The uproar was RIDICULOUS and now we all just keep our mouths shut.

supposedly Christian coworkers are the biggest of the judgmental assholes
Why does that seem to be the case 9 times out of 10? I don't understand it!!

[grammarwoman]

And it's not that I want to slander Christians. I was raised Lutheran myself. I have lots of Christian friends, several on LJ alone.

It's just that the people at work that have literally said about one action or another, "It's the Christian thing to do" or some such, come out with the most judgmental, least love-thy-neighbor sentiments.

[mrsdrjackson.livejournal.com]

Oh no, that's not my intention either.

"It's the Christian thing to do"
My husband hates that saying, because it can sometimes just be a smoke-screen for hate. It's why he left the Wels Lutheran church and why he refuses to try and find another congregation to worship with. :(

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

*hugs* That reminds me of a church friend who, after bringing up the inauguration to me and after my response that the baby had moved a LOT during it, said to me, 'hopefully she's MAD ABOUT IT!! :D :D :D :D'

I know exactly how you feel, because you want to stand up and say, 'no, actually, she was really excited, and so am I!' or in your case, 'Funny thing about equality, it keeps getting more and more close to the actual definition. I sure hope someday we'll get to the point where 'indecency' and 'equality' aren't dependent on law enforcement, and people can tell the difference between being lewd and behaving the exact same way as a heterosexual couple would.'

*cough*

ps. are you around for bouncing off of ideas? I might have possibly perhaps have signed up for Tardis Big Bang, heh...

[grammarwoman]

I've burned out on trying to get these guys to see the Other Side, whether that's liberals or vegans or gays or Democrats or whatevers.

I'm totally around for bouncing ideas, as long as you don't mind some delays - I'm supposed to be, ah, what's the word? Oh yes, working. *grin*

(I'm SO SURE that you got sucked in to DW!)

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

Vast sympathy. I may hate what I do, and frequently find myself frustrated by the way my management operates, but there's really nobody here I don't like and/or respect on a personal level.

[grammarwoman]

I miss that! That's how I felt for the most part at my last job.

Here, I've got less than a handful of people that I don't despair talking to, and even fewer that I trust. I just have to concentrate on keeping my mouth shut for the most part and my head down. Powermongering, vicious assholes abound here that will get a body fired for pissing them off, and I don't want to leave this job until I've got another lined up.

[rarelylynne.livejournal.com]

This is me thanking my lucky stars that I'm not in that type of environment.

[grammarwoman]

Really, honestly, truly. I want to drag some of these people to events like Wiscon and have their minds BLOWN from overwhelming dissension.

[kazbaby]

See.. it's a good thing it was you and not me that heard that because the exchange would have gone like: "On prime time TV, can you believe it?" Me: Yeah, I know.. they should have used tongue. Oh and get the fuck over yourself.

[grammarwoman]

ILU Kaz! *grin* I may just have to whip that out next time.

[herbivorous.livejournal.com]

Dear Bob. I almost wish that we could teleport these people to MY "office" for a day, just to see them swallow their own faces. I work in Boystown, probably a good 20% of the staff is queer, we regularly get shopped by EXTREMELY obvious trannies, and you know what? Everyone is just so damn nice to each other--customers, fellow employees, even the goddamn security guys--that I seriously expect us to break into song some day. It's one of the most tolerant, fun-loving, laid-back places I've ever worked.

Oh, and while we're transporting, let's choose the date, too. (The yearly Pride parade goes RIGHT past my store every summer.)

Anywhoo, next time someone makes a bigoted comment, just mentally whisk them away to my neck of the woods, where they would get verbally bitchslapped in about a millisecond for saying anything like that.

[grammarwoman]

I'm trying to come up with a variation on the "Calgon, take me away!" thing that would fit. "Halsted, take them away"? *grin*