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28YO Shares Cancer Surgery Story After Coworker Says She’s “More Plastic Than Barbie”
Young woman upset at work while coworker talks, illustrating cancer surgery story and reaction about plastic appearance.

28YO Shares Cancer Surgery Story After Coworker Says She’s “More Plastic Than Barbie”

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Harry Styles once sang that we should all treat people with kindness. And while this statement seems like common sense to some, for others, it’s a foreign concept. They can’t seem to wrap their heads around the fact that you should act with others the way you want them to act when it comes to you. 

In today’s story, one woman learned this lesson for sure. Okay, we don’t know if she really did, but we hope so. You see, her harsh words towards her coworker, whom she didn’t know that much about, came back to bite her back, and everyone around couldn’t have been happier about it – that’s how offensive she was.

More info: Reddit

RELATED:

    While for some being kind to others seems like a common idea, others seemingly can’t grasp it

    Young woman in black bra having breast measured with caliper during cancer surgery consultation.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Like this woman from today’s story, who just couldn’t keep her mouth shut when it came to her coworker’s appearance

    28YO shares cancer surgery story and double mastectomy after coworker insults calling her more plastic than Barbie

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    Text about a 28-year-old sharing cancer surgery story and dealing with scarring's impact on mental health.

    Text describing a cancer surgery story focused on plastic surgery and implants improving mental health after mastectomy.

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker comments on her appearance being more plastic than Barbie.

    Two women having a serious conversation on a couch, one sharing her cancer surgery story with the other listening intently.

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    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    One day, she picked a new victim – a coworker, who had breast implants because of the double mastectomy she had to go through

    Text from a 28-year-old sharing a cancer surgery story after a coworker made hurtful comments comparing her to Barbie.

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    Text of a personal story shared after cancer surgery, addressing coworker remarks about appearance and plastic surgery.

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    Young woman shares cancer surgery story after coworker calls her more plastic than Barbie, explaining her breast implants.

    Text post sharing cancer surgery story after coworker says she's more plastic than Barbie, seeking judgment on conflict.

    Young woman reflecting on her cancer surgery story while discussing with coworker in a bright office setting.

    Image credits: fabrikasimf / Freepik (not the actual photo)

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    From time to time, she kept implying that the coworker was shallow for getting her breasts done

    Text image showing an HR message about creating a hostile work environment after a coworker comment on cancer surgery story.

    Text update about HR meeting after cancer surgery story shared following coworker comment on appearance.

    Text update on cancer surgery story after coworker comments, mentioning letters of support offered for HR involvement.

    Young woman upset at work while another talks, highlighting cancer surgery story and coworker remarks about appearance.

    Image credits: kremen / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Granted, she didn’t know about the real reason why she got those implants, but that does not make her any less of a bully

    Text about a woman sharing her cancer surgery story after a coworker’s comment about plastic surgery and implants.

    Screenshot of text discussing receiving an email from HR about a hostile work environment and a cancer surgery story.

    Text on a plain white background describing collecting information for HR due to a cancer surgery story and coworker comment.

    Text excerpt from a 28-year-old sharing her cancer surgery story after a coworker made a plastic Barbie comment.

    Person highlighting a document with an orange marker while sharing cancer surgery story after coworker comment about plastic.

    Image credits: mindandi / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    When the woman got called out, she reported the coworker to HR for “hostile work environment”

    Text message describing a 28-year-old sharing her cancer surgery story after workplace insults and seeking support from coworkers.

    Text excerpt from a story about a 28-year-old sharing cancer surgery experience after coworker comments.

    Text excerpt describing a person sharing a cancer surgery story after a coworker comments on plastic appearance.

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker insults her appearance, addressing workplace hostility and misconceptions.

    Young woman reading documents by office window, sharing cancer surgery story after coworker comments on appearance.

    Image credits: tsyhun / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    But the coworker wasn’t going down without a fight – she collected evidence of the woman’s misdemeanors and made a report to HR herself

    Text excerpt discussing letters from coworkers about appearance issues after cancer surgery story shared by 28-year-old woman.

    Text discussing coworker comments about weight and antisemitic remarks, related to cancer surgery story SEO keywords.

    Text excerpt discussing a 28-year-old sharing cancer surgery story after coworker comments about being more plastic than Barbie.

    Text on a screen describing someone arriving at an interview, with Debbie ready to lead them into another room.

    Three professional women in a meeting room discussing, highlighting a 28-year-old sharing cancer surgery story.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The receipts included the witness reports of the calling-out incident and other stories of the woman making inappropriate comments about someone’s looks

    Text excerpt from a personal story about cancer surgery shared by a 28-year-old after a coworker comments on her appearance.

    Young woman shares her cancer surgery story after coworker comments on her appearance comparing her to Barbie.

    Text excerpt about contract and impartial overseer related to 28YO sharing cancer surgery story after coworker comment.

    Text snippet describing a workplace conflict involving a supervisor, coworker Debbie, and a complaint about impartiality.

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker compares her appearance to plastic Barbie doll.

    Young woman sharing cancer surgery story during a serious conversation with coworkers in a modern office setting.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The case was presented so strongly that HR had no other choice but to hold a proper investigation

    Text excerpt from a cancer surgery story shared by a 28-year-old woman after coworker compares her to Barbie.

    Text conversation showing a person explaining a coworker reported them due to ongoing issues over three months after cancer surgery.

    Screenshot of a text conversation discussing a personal issue related to cancer surgery and coworker comments about appearance.

    Text excerpt discussing cancer surgery and breast implants after breast tissue removal for cancer risk.

    Text excerpt discussing signed statements from coworkers about breast implants after cancer surgery story.

    Young woman sharing cancer surgery story while interacting with coworker in a bright office setting, smiling confidently.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    They interviewed a bunch of employees, including the perpetrator and her victim

    Text box with a question and answer discussing rough dates and times in a cancer surgery story shared by a 28-year-old.

    ALT text: 28YO shares cancer surgery story after coworker comments on her breast implants and appearance at work

    Text excerpt showing a personal cancer surgery story shared after a coworker’s plastic comment controversy.

    Text excerpt showing a person discussing feeling uncomfortable after a coworker's plastic comments following cancer surgery.

    Young woman sharing cancer surgery story while shaking hands with coworker in a professional office setting.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    What the investigation showed was that the woman was indeed guilty of inappropriate and constant comments

    Text excerpt discussing a 28-year-old sharing cancer surgery experience after coworker’s plastic comment.

    Young woman shares cancer surgery story after coworker comments on her appearance at work.

    Text snippet showing a person reflecting on their job search after cancer surgery and workplace comments.

    Text snippet about a coworker conversation and HR meeting, related to sharing cancer surgery story.

    A young woman shares her cancer surgery story during a serious discussion with coworkers at a meeting table.

    Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    And so, the company had to say goodbye to the woman, making the whole office sigh in relief

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker remarks she looks more plastic than Barbie during lunchroom talk.

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker accuses her of being more plastic than Barbie doll.

    Text excerpt about a 28-year-old sharing her cancer surgery story after a coworker's hurtful comment.

    Text describing a cancer surgery story shared by a 28-year-old after a coworker’s hurtful comment about appearance.

    Text image showing a message stating an email from HR confirms that the case is closed after sharing cancer surgery story.

    Image credits: anonymous

    The coworker was happy about herself for dealing with her bully in a professional manner by going through proper channels instead of causing needless drama

    A while ago, the OP had some tests done and found out that she has some potentially cancerous cells in her breast tissue. So, to remove the risk of getting the disease, she got a double mastectomy.

    After that, she hated her appearance so much that it started negatively affecting her mental health. So, she got breast implants to hide surgery scars, which made her comfortable in her skin again. 

    Then, one day, she was having lunch with her work friend, and they mentioned the surgery she had. One of the coworkers, Jill, overheard it, and from that point on, she started throwing jokes about it, without knowing the cancer context. The OP asked her to stop more than once, but she never listened. 

    So, the pile of these jokes kept growing, and it was bound to overspill at some point. And it did during one lunch, when Jill once again implied that the author is “shallow” because she got chest implants. The original poster lost it and told her everything.

    Later that day, she got a notification from HR that someone reported her for a “hostile work environment.” The HR person was Debbie, Jill’s friend, so it was clear who the reportee was. But the woman wasn’t about to go down easily.

    She collected evidence from the colleagues, who witnessed the incident, asked for an “impartial overseer”, and filed another report herself with an addition of other comments she made about other coworkers’ appearances. 

    Young woman carrying a box with personal items, reflecting on her cancer surgery story after coworker comments.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    HR ended up conducting an investigation with interviews of various employees, including the OP and Jill. And so, it resulted in Jill getting fired and the original poster winning. Well, knowing what a strong case she had, it would have been surprising to learn that it ended any other way. 

    After all, it seems common sense not comment on someone’s appearance, especially in the workplace. Granted, some exceptions might apply if the attire violates the dress code or the job is focused on appearances, like something in the fashion industry.

    And even then, one must be careful with their comments. Overall, it’s simply best to steer clear of mentioning someone’s clothing choices, physical attributes, body language, or anything like that. 

    But apparently not everyone has this common sense. And that everyone includes Jill in this scenario. As the OP’s receipts proved, she likes to make a lot of insensitive comments about how her coworkers look, lacking genuine empathy, and thinking she was untouchable. 

    And so, when she touched the nerve of a woman with a double mastectomy, she took it too far. When it comes down to it, cancer tends to affect people’s self-image a lot. It comes down to the fact that the treatment of this disease is very harsh on one’s body. It can cause hair loss, change their weight, leave surgical scars, and generally lead to heightened self-consciousness and feelings of insecurity. 

    Of course, in the case of the OP, she didn’t have cancer; she had a procedure to prevent it, but her self-image took a big hit, and that’s why Jill’s comments hurt so much. So, netizens weren’t really sad that she lost her job. In fact, most of them were happy she was forced to face the consequences of her actions. 

    Do you think similarly to netizens, or do you think HR was too harsh to the coworker? Please, share in the comments! 

    Netizens were happy too – everyone loves a story where a villain gets what she deserved

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing breast implants and cancer survivor experience after surgery story shared online.

    Screenshot of an online comment discussing a job-related conflict following a cancer surgery story shared by a 28-year-old.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing workplace bias and a coworker's response about impartiality after cancer surgery.

    Screenshot of an online discussion post sharing a cancer surgery story after coworker comments on appearance.

    Screenshot of a Reddit post discussing a 28-year-old sharing her cancer surgery story after coworker's harsh comment.

    Screenshot of online comment saying Oh I sure do love a swift comeuppence, related to cancer surgery story.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing workplace behavior and reactions to a coworker's inappropriate remarks about appearance.

    28-year-old shares cancer surgery story after coworker insults her by comparing to Barbie doll appearance.

    Screenshot of a user comment discussing implants and harassment related to a cancer surgery story and coworker remark.

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    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

    Read less »
    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    Read less »

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    What do you think ?
    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The cancer backstory doesn't matter at all. All the comments and aggression are completely inappropriate in any circumstances, if there was surgery or not, for whatever reason. If you want to impose your own morality on people start a cult.

    Tyke
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You do not comment on a colleague's image, s****l orientation, gender identity, faith within the workplace - especially not in a negative way.

    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She got herself fired for a rancid troll.

    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The cancer backstory doesn't matter at all. All the comments and aggression are completely inappropriate in any circumstances, if there was surgery or not, for whatever reason. If you want to impose your own morality on people start a cult.

    Tyke
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You do not comment on a colleague's image, s****l orientation, gender identity, faith within the workplace - especially not in a negative way.

    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She got herself fired for a rancid troll.

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