Choosing to create a profile on a dating app can be daunting. You’re putting yourself out there and hoping for the best. You certainly don’t need someone finding it and spreading the news to all and sundry behind your back.
One woman was mortified when a coworker spotted her online dating profile and proceeded to share it with the whole office on one of her days off. Now the annoying colleague won’t drop it, so she’s turned to an online community for advice.
More info: Reddit
Putting yourself out there on a dating app can have unexpected consequences, as this woman found out in a rather unpleasant way
Image credits: fauxels / Pexels (not the actual photo)
While she was on her day off, her coworker’s brother spotted her online dating profile and sent it to him
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
By the time she got back to work, the coworker had shared the news with everyone in the office
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The woman says she’s been teased and mocked by several of her colleagues ever since and it’s getting old fast
Image credits: No-Bathroom8194
At a loss for what to do next, she’s turned to netizens for advice, mentioning she doesn’t want the situation to descend into an HR fiasco
Working in a male-dominated field can be challenging enough, but OP’s experience is proving how toxic things can get when workplace boundaries aren’t respected. She recently opened up about being publicly mocked by coworkers after one discovered her on a dating app. Things escalated fast, and it wasn’t remotely funny.
It all started when a male coworker said his brother found her profile. OP wasn’t working that day, but when she returned, the guy had already told the entire office she was on the app. The tone? Less “hey, cool” and more “wow, she must be desperate.” Naturally, OP was confused and uncomfortable.
Initially, she brushed it off, but the mocking continued - again and again. Even worse, it wasn’t friendly teasing. It felt targeted and mean. The same coworker started giving her unsolicited advice about her appearance too. It felt less like office banter and more like bullying under the disguise of a joke.
Now she’s wondering how to respond, without escalating it to an HR fiasco. She plans to stay in the role until mid-2026 and just wants peace, but in a recent update, she shared she’s thinking through her next steps and might confront the coworker directly.
From what she tells us in her post, OP is a victim of blatant sexism and harassment. If the roles were reversed, it’s unlikely that her insensitive coworker would be as widely disparaged, if at all. So, just what is the modern state of sexism in the workplace? And how do you combat it? We went looking for answers.
Image credits: August de Richelieu / Pexels (not the actual photo)
According to the Culture Shift website, sexism is the prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of gender. Workplace sexism can occur in a number of forms, through so-called “banter” and jokes, language used, the denial of jobs or progression, a gender pay gap, or even sexual harassment.
For the most part, gender inequality and inequity in the workplace affects women more than it does me. It’s evident in the overall lower median pay women get no matter what their role, level or industry, as well as the fact there are less women in senior roles the higher up the organization you look.
According to the Deloitte website, gender discrimination has been reported by 22% of men and 42% of women in the workplace, rising to 75% for women in industries dominated by men.
The Sentrient website suggests several ways to combat sexism in the workplace, including understanding the laws and regulations, knowing the signs of gender discrimination, encouraging employees to report discrimination, investigating all reports of discrimination, and implementing diversity and inclusion training.
Despite OP’s concerns about taking her case to HR, it’s probably the only way she’s going to put a stop to the harassment. Who knows - her bullying colleague might just get more than a warning and be shown the door for good.
What would you do if you found yourself in OP’s shoes? If you overheard coworkers mocking a colleague for using a dating app, would you speak up or stay silent - and why? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
In the comments, several readers suggested things she could say to put her coworkers in their place, while others shared practical revenge tactics
