Let’s face it, we’ve all been in situations where a pesky person just wouldn’t leave us alone, and we’ve had to lie our way out of it. Sometimes, if they have a bit of self-awareness, they get the hint and leave. But it’s the ones who don’t that make for the most annoying stories.
A woman on TikTok shared the irritating moment when a guy kept pestering her with odd questions at work. She then told him an outright lie to get him to leave, and he ended up confronting her about it later on.
More info: TikTok
Woman working in a male-dominated job is randomly questioned by a coworker about her education, she comes up with a quick lie to shut him down
Image credits: Polina Tankilevitch (not the actual photo)
“I told everybody at work today that I’m pregnant. And before I even found out that I was pregnant, there’s this, I work in a lab, so it’s just, it’s all men”
“There’s one other girl in there, but she only works part-time. But this one guy in there, he’s, he was talking to me one day. He learned, so I work in a lab by myself. And he comes into my lab one day, and he goes, ‘um, did your parents pay for you to go to college?’ And I was like, ‘No.’ And he was like, ‘they didn’t give you like one of those,’ what’s it called a five, I don't know, what it’s called, that college fund that your parents like, give you?”
“And I was like, ‘No’ and he’s like ‘then how did you go to college?’ I was like, ‘scholarships, and I have student debt.’ And he’s like, ‘oh, well, I was just saying, I was just asking,’ because he’s like, ‘I just don't really understand how you got through college, then.’ Besides the point.”
Image credits: @martharoseyy
“Then he’s like, ‘well, because if you had that, then you can roll it over to the Roth IRA.’ I was like, ‘okay, well, I don't have it.’ So end of discussion, right? Get out of my lab.”
“And then he goes on to say, ‘well, if you if you ever want to have kids, you could just start one for them.’ So just to end the conversation, I said something along the lines of I’m not having kids. We don't, I’m not, nope, I don't ever want kids. Obviously, it’s not true. Obviously not true. I just wanted to end the conversation and I wanted him to get out of the lab. So today I announced at our group meeting that I’m pregnant and he walks by me as the meeting ends and he goes, ‘hmm, really sounds like you didn’t want to have kids.’ Oh my god, shut up!”
Image credits: @martharoseyy
Check out the original video here
Women working in male-dominated fields often tend to be questioned or treated differently by the men around them
Women who are part of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are brilliant, yet they still have to face their fair share of misogyny. Research has shown that ladies in STEM often experience a negative climate in the workplace with their ideas being disparaged or getting mansplained to them by male peers.
As Martha shared in her video, she was the only lady working in her lab. There was only one other woman who worked there part-time. One day a colleague came to her lab and began asking her questions about her education and how she managed to get through college. While questioning her about her college funding, he also tried to bring the discussion around to her future kids and how she should start a savings fund for them.
The woman tried to fob him off and end the discussion, but he kept talking. So she lied to him by saying she never wanted to have kids. Later on, when she did get pregnant, she revealed the news to her team. That’s when the same man came up to her and said “hmm, really sounds like you didn’t want to have kids.” He clearly did not realize how uncomfortable he had made the woman feel to the extent that she had to lie to get him to go away.
Many commenters also shared that they had similar experiences while working in technical fields. To understand why this was so common, Bored Panda interviewed Dharti Adhia, a genetic counselor holding two master’s degrees in genetic engineering and genetic counseling.
She shared, “my experience as a woman in STEM and a healthcare provider has been shaped by both unique challenges and rewarding opportunities. I’ve found that discussions about marital status, children, and future family plans are sometimes part of the professional landscape, which can create unique challenges for women.”
Image credits: Camylla Battani (not the actual photo)
It’s also shocking to note that men and women in STEM fields are treated differently. Dharti shone a light on one of the ways this happens, saying: “there are professional status surveys showing that males in the field are often offered higher salaries for the same job. Despite these challenges, I’ve also encountered a supportive community of women in STEM who have helped me navigate these differences and find success in my career.”
Another challenge that women in STEM face is the lack of adequate parental leave policies. An 8-year study of STEM professionals found that 4-7 years after the birth or adoption of their first child, nearly 43% of women left STEM jobs as compared to 23% of men.
Just like Martha experienced in the video, women in STEM might be frequently questioned by others about their education and expertise. Dharti shared examples of this, saying: “there has been a mix of responses to my expertise and experience compared to my male colleagues. I’ve noticed that sometimes, patients express more confidence in the care provided by male providers, as they believe their concerns will be better addressed by them. However, this preference can lead to an underestimation of female healthcare providers.”
It is, therefore, important for ladies in technical fields to share their stories and fight back against discrimination. Dharti shared some advice for women entering STEM: “Believe in yourself and your abilities. STEM fields benefit from diverse perspectives, and your unique experiences and insights are valuable. Seek out mentors and supportive communities to help you navigate challenges and celebrate your successes. And most importantly, don't be afraid to speak up and advocate for yourself and other women in STEM.”
People were understandably outraged over the annoying experience that the poster had to go through. The video got 2.2 million views and over 200k upvotes with many women sharing personal experiences of discrimination at the hands of male coworkers. What do you think of the way Martha handled the situation with the guy at work? What would you have done if you were in her place?
Netizens told the poster that she should take the matter to HR and others were shocked by her coworker’s poor social skills
