Girl talk

The one big positive of working in the publishing industry is now female-centric it is. In my current company, even the top bosses are women and the freedom that we girls/women have here gives me an understanding of how it must be to be a man in a male-centric workplace.

For instance, a simple thing like talking about men and periods and missing a period (we girls do talk a lot on those topics!) is done unbashedly. When I changed jobs, the open talking took me by surprise. But then I had moved from a company where there were only 2 women (including me) to a place where men became a minority. And when that happens, some men find themselves in an uncomfortable position of accidentally hearing candid girl talk.

A particular incident that never left me was when a manager, a single 30-something woman, was chit chatting with some of us and was expressing her frustration of not finding a trustworthy male friend to sleep with. It was when she said,"I just want an energetic 20-something guy to do me" that I noticed a movement in the cabin next to hers. Her loud talk had mortified the 20-something male manager. He, the very next day, moved to another cabin far away from hers. A thought popped to my mind, had a man loudly discussed his sexual need at a workplace, it would have disgusted and offended any woman and yet she would have done nothing to stop vulgar talks because the top bosses too were men. At least that's, sadly, what is happening with a friend of mine who is frantically looking for new job to get away from her boss who wastes no opportunity to let his intentions with her go unexpressed. If you are wondering why she did not complain to HR or her MD, let me tell you that she did all that. He was let go with a warning each time and he continued as if nothing had happened.

And then sometimes it's so easy to ignore/forget that there's a man present when a group of girls gets talking. It's quite possible that most men in my current company know the period cycle of women around them. In all probability it's innocent talk that 'enlightened' them.

"Hey, you don't look so well. What happened?"

"It's just, you know, the usual." Knowing glances are exchanged.

"Oh! Do you want a Meftal Spas? I always carry some. It helps me get through day 2 and 3 every time."

Or

When a colleague goes to every female in office in search of a spare sanitary pad, it doesn't take a genius to guess why.

And then there are times when talk shifts to the latest hottie someone has met, crushes, boyfriend troubles, and some poor guy, who joined when the conversation was on politics, stands silent wondering what to do. 

It's not really just about men or women is it? It's really about the gender representation at workplace that needs to be looked into. In a majority, women too can be just as insufferable as men.