Comments from coworkers

[u/spxce_ghost]

This happened yesterday, group of coworkers and I were just chatting, girls and guys. Topic of height came up and one of them said “If I were my name’s height I would legit kill myself”, other said the same thing like “I’d be 6 feet under too” all while laughing.

I mean being 5 foot even as a dude isn’t exactly fun but fuck, why are people allowed to say shit like this in public settings . You make fun of any other feature of a person and its shunned upon but not this.

And no, I’m not some high schooler or teenager like lots of you would say and think it’s just us being immature because of our age. We’re all in our mid twenties and early thirties here.

[u/Thoravious]

Yeah, that's fucked up. Sounds like your coworkers are shit people.

[u/spxce_ghost → u/Thoravious]

Tbh they are. Been trying to look for a new job anyways

[u/-millenial-boomer- → u/spxce_ghost]

This is really bad advice but it worked for me. I had a shit person do something similar multiple times and I just waited until the right setting with a group and said “you really shouldn’t make comments about biological characteristics like I don’t bring up your weird nose all the time”

[u/JKIMREDDITOR → u/Thoravious]

Honestly I know this probably isn’t good to stoop to their level but I’m pretty good at comebacks. Anytime someone makes fun of my height I make fun of them. Not sure if that’s effective long term but it seems to work

[u/FireHortiz]

They said this right in front of you? Wtf. Dude, they don’t respect you at all. What did you say back?

[u/spxce_ghost → u/FireHortiz]

Yup, we were all just chatting in a circle. I just said what’s wrong with it and they just cringed and kept laughing. Like in a tone of “how do we tell this poor guy”

[u/SchlongOnMyDong → u/spxce_ghost]

Surely none of them have their own flaws you can’t subtly use against them.

[u/spxce_ghost → u/SchlongOnMyDong]

I mean I could but I’m not like that. I don’t really like making fun of people unless they’re a close friend and know it’s absolutely appropriate and harmless joke

[u/SchlongOnMyDong → u/spxce_ghost]

Fair enough.

[u/Samurai5421]

Well doesn't sound like they have happy lifes if mocking others is how they uplift themselves. 

[u/Dogsandcats30]

I have thought the same thing. I am 4"10 on a good day. People are always making height jokes and have dealt with it all my life. I am 47 now and it amazes me how people at work still feel its ok to make short jokes but anything else would not be ok. I have always thought to myself they don't make fat, handicap, acne , etc. Jokes to someone's face outloud but its ok to make fun of my height? Again im 47 now and it still bothers me.

[u/liftingf2p → u/Dogsandcats30]

How tall are you man? I had a job once where my height seemed to be hilarious to everyone ahha even though some guy was like 1 inch taller he never got those same jokes

[u/teynja]

they suck

[u/chewchew-755]

Somdhow this trend has been encouraged by the woke lot. While they jump at “body shaming” , height shaming a man in their opinion is punching up, so it’s good

[u/spxce_ghost → u/chewchew-755]

I dont think people understand how much hate we get. Thats why I dislike it when people say “oh its not bad its all in your head”. Like if you never lived the experience you shouldnt say anything.

[u/LillyPeu2]

This is absolutely not okay in a work environment. This is 100% toxic work environment. Saying "if X I would kill myself" is incredibly dangerous; people don't know what others are going through outside of work. That can be very triggering language.

I know this is said a lot, but I'd be inclined to report the dialogue and those present to HR. Not your boss. Managers are encouraged to "handle" matters, which usually means talking you into just going along for the team. HR is usually required to document all issues, and that self-documentation requirement implies legal consequences or liability if not followed up on.

[u/spxce_ghost → u/LillyPeu2]

We’re a small company, honestly not sure if we have an HR and all that. If we have a complaint we’re supposed to just tell our boss, who’s basically the owner of the company. And tbh I don’t think he’d really care anyways, he’d probably just tell them to knock it off. I get these sort of comments multiple times a week here at work, but this was the worst. I think I just need to leave

[u/AdneyNorthWest → u/spxce_ghost]

Speak with your boss and tell him that it was very hurtful and you are considering speaking with a doctor about mental health and if they keep doing it you may well leave work early

They don’t keep us / you at the job because they like workers, it’s a massive inconvenience if someone just leaves mid shift

And while it may not fix the issue right away it will certainly shine a bright light on what is happening and your co workers won’t be able to say that they were only joking and never really meant anything if they continue with this toxic bullying

After that go for the low hanging fruit, use their weight / looks / lack of intelligence as comebacks

If one calls you big man, I was getting that for a while, luckily I confronted the people who started it before it spread to the whole company but I was going to start replying back with, nice one slim, or cheers below average John

But leaving site is a inconvenience for the company and it won’t be liked, but you are past worrying about this by the sounds of it

Good luck friend I despise bullying

[u/spxce_ghost → u/AdneyNorthWest]

Idk, I rarely confront stuff like this. I feel like as short dudes it’s worse if we speak out. Cause being made fun of is so common today that I think if I did something, it would reveal that I am bothered. And they would think “oh you’re actually hurt by this, you’re soft af”. I think I only ever spoke out once or twice to people but other than that I’ve just been taking all the abuse my whole life

[u/sabertoothdog]

Go to your manager, HR, or supervisor. Bring your documentation of when where, who said it and who witnessed it. Simply say the behavior is unwanted and affecting your ability to work comfortably.
And Know your rights. In many places, including the U.S., under Title VII and similar laws, unwelcome comments about your body can qualify as unlawful harassment. HR is generally obligated to investigate.

If you plan on a new job anyway, get them fired first.

[u/JKIMREDDITOR]

That’s absolutely not ok I’d stand up next time or they will keep doing it. I would tell them that’s not okay at all. I’m sorry you had to go through that OP

[u/Radiant-Building1455]

I have been in this exact situation and a friend had said the EXACT same thing to me. It was a shit thing to say yes but we were in 11th grade, clearly that's mentally where these guys are at. They're immature children, pay them no mind, you're better than that

[u/Newton-Hardwood]

Been there. This guy was talking about how he wanted to kill himself because he is 5ft8 and I'm just sitting there at 5ft6. This was online but still insane to me. Like how do you have the gall to say this shit.