"Dear Too Woke for My Workplace, These fucking guys. I'm so sorry you're working with bigoted bullies. They're using the guise of jokes to exert some sick sort of dominance. And preemptively mocking the possibility that they should be criticized for it is all part of the abuse. Of course they should be criticized for their jokes. They should be shunned and shamed; demoted, retrained, or fired. But what can you do about it?"
"You've been there four months, which should be just long enough to notice how your other co-workers deal with this pair of jokers. Has anyone else looked uncomfortable, rolled their eyes, or even better, told them to cut it out? These are your allies. Ask them for more context. Has anyone complained to human resources? What happened? Have your boss and co-worker always been so awful, or did they start acting this way when you were hired?"
Colleagues who claim inclusivity can still make demeaning, exclusionary jokes that target marginalized groups and create an abusive workplace. Mocking accents, disparaging the served demographic, and “I identify as…” jokes contribute to hostility, especially when coworkers know an employee is transgender. Track incidents and keep records on personal devices rather than work systems. Observe coworkers’ reactions to identify potential allies and ask about prior HR complaints and outcomes. Determine whether the behavior began after the employee’s hire; if so, preserve evidence for an employment-discrimination lawyer. If no complaints exist, escalate the issue to human resources.
Read at Slate Magazine
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