# Is this "hostile work environment" claim full of shit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821 "2009-02-14T15:24:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/81 "2009-02-17T04:59:05Z")
It was very wise of you to find a way to extract yourself from the situation. I could easily see you getting (flying, genetically engineered, burning wolf-ass) monkey poo flung at you from both sides. That bitch Gothmog sounds like continuing trouble, and given that Aragorn could easily claim minority discrimination status if he felt like being as big of a bitch in return, you might get caught in the middle if anything escalated. Nothing like being called by both sides in conflicting claims against your company to really make your year. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/82 "2009-02-17T21:18:41Z")
I vote bullshit. I agree that Aragorn should counter-complain that the rampant homophobia displayed by other coworkers is making him feel very uncomfortable. This woman probably hates her job and is looking for some money from the company to just shut her up and make her go away. She doesn’t have a lawsuit and she knows it. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/83 "2009-02-17T21:30:33Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > \as I’ve read it, is not merely pissy, it’s homophobic, and smacks of “I’ve been looking for a way to stick it to this gay boy.” I vote this. ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/84 "2009-02-17T21:57:43Z")
This brings to mind this case: [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23104188-421,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23104188-421,00.html) It’s important to note that the event occurred after the work party in a hotel room which the employees had hired independently of the company. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/85 "2009-02-18T00:31:06Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > :: whistles innocently :: > > Why, I would never think of doing such a thing. Given a task to perform, I perform it without reservation or equivocation. > > The more I think about it, the more I think I need to politely decline to give this speech. Whoever does it is opening himself up to something irritating from Aragorn, and probably Boromir too. (I don’t know whether Boromir is gay.) Eowyn’s complaint, as I’ve read it, is not merely pissy, it’s homophobic, and smacks of “I’ve been looking for a way to stick it to this gay boy.” This is your best choice. The absolute MOST I’d do is a company-wide sensitivity training session. And it would be brown-bag optional, at that. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/86 "2009-02-18T16:17:27Z")
Prudes are weird. I love my gay male friends - we find the same things attractive! (Matter of fact, I’m trying to get one of 'em to watch 300 with me, as he’s never seen it. I think he’d like.) I would’ve called the opportunity to glimpse some fit Speedo clad men, even on a screen saver, a bright spot in my day. But that’s just me, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821/87 "2009-02-18T21:33:12Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Are the puppies wearing speedos? God that’s hot! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hostile-work-environment-claim-full-of-shit/485821.md?page=4)