First day at my new job went... weird

submitted by Cat13 from self.GenderCritical

For the most part it was okay. Great really. My training group was almost all women, including the trainers, and it made a difference in the overall progression of the day I think. But about midday a different trainer came in to teach us how to work the software and login to them. Someone asked a question about customer service. The man launched on a several minute long rant about being inclusive to all people and making them feel safe when we called them. At one point he went over the different genders and pronouns(he lifted five genders and three pronouns) listed them each and had us copy him as he did so as though we were kindergarteners learning the alphabet. Everyone else chimes in. And while he paced and ranted about being gay and effeminate and welcoming of all genders and creeds and how we should copy him I was just wondering if I had drunk the crazy juice to not be taken in by him. To me he was erratic and abrasive and had words to say in exclusionary techniques and what he thought of them from a man’s perspective. A coworker in training mentioned a fellow coworker complaining of his methods on break and he spent 20 minutes grilling the poor girl and insisting that he was a great teacher who was above holding grudges or disliking someone for disliking his teaching methods. Another coworker was grilled for twenty minutes because his wife/coworker didn’t show for training and the dude wanted to know why that was. Finally it was over and all the room could talk about was how cool and friendly he was and how crazy the one coworker was for disliking him. Wtf is happening? This is a really good high profile office job working for the government and they have this going on. I feel like I’m going bonkers.

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[–]jkfinn 31 insightful - 3 fun31 insightful - 2 fun32 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Sounds like a combo of a New Age Transformation Coach and a pumped up LGBTQI advocate harshly pushing the new world order of gender ascendancy. (I liked your account--very real)

[–]our_team_is_winning 19 insightful - 8 fun19 insightful - 7 fun20 insightful - 8 fun -  (1 child)

<At one point he went over the different genders and pronouns(he lifted five genders and three pronouns)>

Going over the different inhabitants of Middle Earth would make more sense. Is there a name for trying to will something into existence by just repeating it over and over? Xe, Xir, and other Klingon words --- those will never be real words.

[–]immersang 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Personally, it always reminds me of Mean Girls. "Stop trying to make FETCH happen..."

[–]MenAreFragileBabies 14 insightful - 3 fun14 insightful - 2 fun15 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

I had a sexual harassment training one afternoon recently, which we are required to do annually. This year, we have a couple of gender woo people in my office that are very loud about it, and asked aggressively what about men? What about trans folx? The trainer (usually really great) made a huge deal of course about how men also get harassed and trans people get harassed too.

I wanted so badly to call it out and ask what the victimization percentages are. We all know it's mostly men (trans identified or otherwise) harassing women, by far. But no, we have to make sure we are nice to the mens and the trans and ensure their fees fees aren't hurt about how much they harass women.

I couldn't think of a good way to bring it up without sounding like an asshole, and maybe it is assholish to be annoyed about. But I am going to think on it this year and see if I can come up with a good response. Very frustrating when women's issues are overrun by our oppressors.

[–]TeaAndCigarettes 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I would keep job hunting. This is just going to get worse. This is a narcissist hiding behind the PC agenda and will victimize anyone who gets in his way and claim it's woke. Get out.

[–]Cat13[S] 12 insightful - 1 fun12 insightful - 0 fun13 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It’s a non option right now. This job is amazing for my career and the pay and hours are excellent. I can’t risk that right now given it’s my first job opportunity in like six months. I’m hoping that since he’s just a trainer I won’t have to deal with him after training is done

[–]yishengqingwa666 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh, what fun: a linguistic minefield for (mostly women) to navigate all day long, and demanded/required of you by a misogynist, dictatorial control freak gay male.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

I would have gotten up and walked out the door.

[–]tuesday 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The people who were grilled by him -- highly unlikely they thought he was "great". I'd be trying to strike up a convo with those people, as it's likely you and they are all on the same/similar wavelength. Maybe together you could figure out a way to phrase your complaint/observation so that it gets taken seriously, but without jeopardizing your job.

A question i would have for my manager, asked in a general not pointing the finger just yet at anyone in particular: what should someone do when the trainer turns out to be a racist sexist homophobe?

Another question for the manager: how closely is the proposed material which is going to be used by these trainers, examined by upper management?

I wouldn't ask these questions aggressively, just... casually. Put the thought out there so the managers can pick it up.