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Lady In Male-Dominated Office Teased After Colleague Discovers Her Dating Profile And Won’t Let It Go
Woman in office looking worried while reviewing documents, illustrating private dating profile exposed by coworker.

Lady In Male-Dominated Office Teased After Colleague Discovers Her Dating Profile And Won’t Let It Go

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Choosing to create a profile on a dating app can be daunting. You’re putting yourself out there and hoping for the best. You certainly don’t need someone finding it and spreading the news to all and sundry behind your back.

One woman was mortified when a coworker spotted her online dating profile and proceeded to share it with the whole office on one of her days off. Now the annoying colleague won’t drop it, so she’s turned to an online community for advice.

More info: Reddit

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    Putting yourself out there on a dating app can have unexpected consequences, as this woman found out in a rather unpleasant way

    Image credits: fauxels / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    While she was on her day off, her coworker’s brother spotted her online dating profile and sent it to him

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    Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

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    By the time she got back to work, the coworker had shared the news with everyone in the office

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    Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels (not the actual photo)

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    The woman says she’s been teased and mocked by several of her colleagues ever since and it’s getting old fast

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    Image credits: No-Bathroom8194

    At a loss for what to do next, she’s turned to netizens for advice, mentioning she doesn’t want the situation to descend into an HR fiasco

    Working in a male-dominated field can be challenging enough, but OP’s experience is proving how toxic things can get when workplace boundaries aren’t respected. She recently opened up about being publicly mocked by coworkers after one discovered her on a dating app. Things escalated fast, and it wasn’t remotely funny.

    It all started when a male coworker said his brother found her profile. OP wasn’t working that day, but when she returned, the guy had already told the entire office she was on the app. The tone? Less “hey, cool” and more “wow, she must be desperate.” Naturally, OP was confused and uncomfortable.

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    Initially, she brushed it off, but the mocking continued – again and again. Even worse, it wasn’t friendly teasing. It felt targeted and mean. The same coworker started giving her unsolicited advice about her appearance too. It felt less like office banter and more like bullying under the disguise of a joke.

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    Now she’s wondering how to respond, without escalating it to an HR fiasco. She plans to stay in the role until mid-2026 and just wants peace, but in a recent update, she shared she’s thinking through her next steps and might confront the coworker directly.

    From what she tells us in her post, OP is a victim of blatant sexism and harassment. If the roles were reversed, it’s unlikely that her insensitive coworker would be as widely disparaged, if at all. So, just what is the modern state of sexism in the workplace? And how do you combat it? We went looking for answers.

    Image credits: August de Richelieu / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    According to the Culture Shift website, sexism is the prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of gender. Workplace sexism can occur in a number of forms, through so-called “banter” and jokes, language used, the denial of jobs or progression, a gender pay gap, or even sexual harassment. 

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    For the most part, gender inequality and inequity in the workplace affects women more than it does me. It’s evident in the overall lower median pay women get no matter what their role, level or industry, as well as the fact there are less women in senior roles the higher up the organization you look. 

    According to the Deloitte website, gender discrimination has been reported by 22% of men and 42% of women in the workplace, rising to 75% for women in industries dominated by men. 

    The Sentrient website suggests several ways to combat sexism in the workplace, including understanding the laws and regulations, knowing the signs of gender discrimination, encouraging employees to report discrimination, investigating all reports of discrimination, and implementing diversity and inclusion training. 

    Despite OP’s concerns about taking her case to HR, it’s probably the only way she’s going to put a stop to the harassment. Who knows – her bullying colleague might just get more than a warning and be shown the door for good.

    What would you do if you found yourself in OP’s shoes? If you overheard coworkers mocking a colleague for using a dating app, would you speak up or stay silent – and why? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

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    In the comments, several readers suggested things she could say to put her coworkers in their place, while others shared practical revenge tactics

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    Poll Question

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    Ivan Ayliffe

    Ivan Ayliffe

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    After twenty years in advertising, I've decided to try my hand at journalism. I'm lucky enough to be based in Cape Town, South Africa and use every opportunity I get to explore everything it has to offer, both indoors and out. When I'm not reading, writing, or listening to podcasts, I spend my time swimming in the ocean, running mountain trails, and skydiving. While I haven't travelled as much as I'd like, I did live in !ndia, which was an incredible experience. Oh, and I love live music. I hope you enjoy my stories!

    Read less »
    Ivan Ayliffe

    Ivan Ayliffe

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    After twenty years in advertising, I've decided to try my hand at journalism. I'm lucky enough to be based in Cape Town, South Africa and use every opportunity I get to explore everything it has to offer, both indoors and out. When I'm not reading, writing, or listening to podcasts, I spend my time swimming in the ocean, running mountain trails, and skydiving. While I haven't travelled as much as I'd like, I did live in !ndia, which was an incredible experience. Oh, and I love live music. I hope you enjoy my stories!

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hi! Here at Panda's I'm responsible for Photo Editing and all of the things surrounding it. I love finding great, moody or even dramatic photos to fit the story. Besides that, I'm a proud owner of 2 cats with the silliest names and a bazillion plants<3You can find me at a makeup counter with headphones swatching all of the sparkly eyeshadows

    Read less »

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Hi! Here at Panda's I'm responsible for Photo Editing and all of the things surrounding it. I love finding great, moody or even dramatic photos to fit the story. Besides that, I'm a proud owner of 2 cats with the silliest names and a bazillion plants<3You can find me at a makeup counter with headphones swatching all of the sparkly eyeshadows

    What do you think ?
    Vinnie
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is absolutely sexual harassment. As one commenter advised: document all instances. Putting up with demeaning behaviour is not in her job description.

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely coworker found her, *not* his brother. I love the above comments on how to take him down, especially the one on how she'd never date him. 😁

    Seedy Vine
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is sexual harassment. Record and report!

    Load More Comments
    Vinnie
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is absolutely sexual harassment. As one commenter advised: document all instances. Putting up with demeaning behaviour is not in her job description.

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely coworker found her, *not* his brother. I love the above comments on how to take him down, especially the one on how she'd never date him. 😁

    Seedy Vine
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is sexual harassment. Record and report!

    Load More Comments
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