# My ex boss had three pictures of his wife in a bikini scattered around his office. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 6, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852 "2014-11-06T04:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/1 "2014-11-06T04:32:43Z")
And it really creeped me out. I thought it was in extremely poor taste. It made me very uncomfortable to be in his office. Would this bother you? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/2 "2014-11-06T04:41:01Z")
Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/3 "2014-11-06T04:49:39Z")
Is she hot? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/4 "2014-11-06T04:54:36Z")
It kind of depends. Are we talking about a picture like [this](http://iloveshelling.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Shelling-family-on-Sanibel-Island.jpg) or one more like [this](http://harmoniaphilosophica.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/bikini-model-01.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/5 "2014-11-06T04:59:37Z")
Is three enough to invoke a “scatter”? I would have thought you’d need at least 5 for a scattering. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/6 "2014-11-06T05:03:09Z")
I’m pretty stoic about that kind of abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/7 "2014-11-06T06:54:10Z")
Can you really scatter three things? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/8 "2014-11-06T08:07:57Z")
You can certainly scatter three one-dollar bills to the wind. I don’t think the photos would have bothered me. In fact, depending on what she looked like, I might find reasons to be reporting to the office a bit more. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/9 "2014-11-06T09:20:26Z")
No, it wouldn’t bother me. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/10 "2014-11-06T09:22:15Z")
I’m sure most guys would answer in the negative. But how large were the pictures? Were they standard size in a desk frame? 4"x6"? 8"x10"? Poster size? How prominently were they displayed? I’m sure a few small, discreetly placed photos shouldn’t be offensive to anybody. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/11 "2014-11-06T09:23:20Z")
Did the photos have the words “Sports Illustrated” crossed out on the top, and with a face crudely pasted on with tape? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/12 "2014-11-06T10:07:34Z")
Closer to your second example Nemo. They weren’t huge photos, but you couldn’t help but notice them if you had to deal with him in his office. So, it’s just me. I think other things I know about him may be affecting my judgement on this. Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/13 "2014-11-06T10:25:49Z")
It’s tacky as hell and also possibly an HR violation (depending on where you work.) It doesn’t lend itself to a professional atmosphere - unless his profession is Talent Agency, of course. But in truth, there are very few professions where “let me tell you how sexy my wife is” is an appropriate statement. I don’t blame you for being annoyed by it. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/14 "2014-11-06T12:24:09Z")
You know, if it were just one picture, sitting on his desk facing towards the boss, I’d be inclined to tell the OP to get over it. But three pictures, ALL of them of his wife in a bikini, takes it to a whole new level. One picture as I described above would be a sweet sentiment. Three bikini pics thrown around the office is flaunting his wife’s sexuality if not objectifying her. Bad form. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/15 "2014-11-06T12:28:45Z")
Ok, so it’s not just me. Good. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/16 "2014-11-06T12:33:42Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Closer to your second example Nemo. If this statement is true I imagine there is something terribly amiss with the guy. I don’t think I have ever seen one photo even approaching that kind of thing in anyone’s office, let alone three. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/17 "2014-11-06T12:38:52Z")
I had a boss who had a picture of himself and his wife in swim suits on the wall of his office. I think it was professionally taken on a rafting trip - so a quality photograph and not intended to be enticing in any way. Nonetheless, I always found it distracting and tried to get a seat that looked the other way. I just don’t expect to run into “incidental nudity” in a work environment and so that picture (along with my own expectations) created dissonance and made me feel uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/18 "2014-11-06T12:39:43Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Closer to your second example Nemo. > > They weren’t huge photos, but you couldn’t help but notice them if you had to deal with him in his office. > > So, it’s just me. I think other things I know about him may be affecting my judgement on this. > > Thanks guys. Definitely weird. I’m not sure it would bother me, but I’d certainly find it odd. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/19 "2014-11-06T13:05:20Z")
Wouldn’t surprise me if he were having an affair, and put those photos up to prove to others (and perhaps try to convince his own guilt-ridden self) that he loves his wife and/or still finds her sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852/20 "2014-11-06T13:06:25Z")
Depending on the pictures, I’m thinking it would creep me out. (a picture of her in a bikini top and shorts whitewater rafting wouldn’t - three “cheesecake” sorts of shots of “my hot wife” would.) And in the equal opportunity for abuse, I use to work with a gay guy who liked the beefcake photos of his boyfriend in his cube. They also squicked me out - but I didn’t complain or say anything, small potatoes in the sexual harassment world - just unprofessional. I don’t want to think about ANY COWORKERS possible sex life at work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ex-boss-had-three-pictures-of-his-wife-in-a-bikini-scattered-around-his-office/703852.md?page=2)