| I worked for many years in an office | | | | had a number of drinks and felt quite |
| environment and would have enjoyed the | | | | sociable. She had a friend with her who I |
| experience if it was not for a number of over | | | | have to say was very attractive and I also |
| bearing and annoying colleagues. These people | | | | started to make small talk with her. I |
| seemed to spend the whole day bitching and | | | | started to get on really well with this |
| gossiping about other people which can make | | | | friend and thought that I had pulled etc. |
| life at work very stressful and | | | | |
| uncomfortable. | | | | After buying them both a drink I went to the |
| | | | toilet. Whilst I was in the toilets my |
| After leaving school I was excited that I was | | | | friends warned this friend of my colleague |
| now entering into the adult world. I was more | | | | not to get too close to me because I was gay |
| than happy to leave behind me the childish | | | | (which I am not). They were just trying to |
| ways of school life where people are | | | | ruin it for me, nice hey! |
| constantly taking the mickey out of each | | | | |
| other, which is apparently supposed to be fun | | | | I came back to the group and both of these |
| and basically act like fools. This was | | | | women had left to go somewhere else. I was |
| certainly not what I saw as enjoyment. | | | | most frustrated but was unaware of what had |
| | | | been said. |
| I eventually obtained a position working for | | | | |
| an insurance company where I would have to | | | | I went back to work the next day and people |
| carry out basic office duties. I was slightly | | | | acted differently towards me. I later found |
| apprehensive as it was all new to me of | | | | out from a good friend that this colleague |
| course but what I found when I started to | | | | had told everyone that I was gay. |
| work their came as quite a shock. Some of | | | | |
| these so called adults were also acting like | | | | I have no problem with people who are gay and |
| they were still at school. | | | | this incident showed me what it must be like |
| | | | for them at times. |
| The males in the office were always at each | | | | |
| others throats, throwing insults which I have | | | | I went up and told this woman exactly what I |
| to add were mainly in jest, and basically | | | | thought of her and warned her never to spread |
| acting like they were fourteen years of age. | | | | any rumours about me again, as it would be |
| | | | the last rumour she would ever spread, if she |
| The women though were so annoying it was | | | | did etc. |
| untrue. Of course it was not all of the women | | | | |
| but just a handful of them. This however was | | | | The next few days were quite unpleasant as |
| enough to make it an uncomfortable place to | | | | people were treating me like some kind of |
| work. These women were always ready to spread | | | | leper. I did not try to convince them that I |
| gossip about other people and were so two | | | | was straight as it should not be an issue in |
| faced it was unbelievable. | | | | the first place. |
| | | | |
| As an example, I will tell you a story which | | | | After this I went to work with the sole |
| I am now able to laugh about, but which at | | | | intention of doing my job, I do not need |
| the time was quite hard to handle. I went out | | | | these type of people in my life. |
| for a few drinks one night and in the bar, | | | | |
| there was a woman who worked in the same | | | | If you work with people like I have described |
| office that I did. She was what I called, one | | | | above, I feel sorry for you. Try hard to not |
| of the bitches! | | | | let them ruin your day at work as if they do, |
| | | | then they will have won. |
| I went over and started talking to her. I had | | | | |