Q Hi Auntie, please help a girl out with this arrige situation I am sitting with.
I recently got a picture from my boss of him in a stywe klein swembroek.
I don’t think it was sent with any ill intentions, but it is weird, right?
What do I do now?
A Meisie, this is definitely “weird”, as you say.
Now Auntie’s first thought would be that this is totally inappropriate. What kind of boss sends pics like that to his employees? No man!
Today it’s a photo of him in a itsy bitsy swembroek, tomorrow it’s a pic of his ding-a-ling swinging about.
What does make Auntie think, though, is that you say it was not done with ill intentions.
Do you know your boss that well? And what if you are correct? What if this was not something sick and sinister, but just an innocent mistake?
The answer is: It doesn’t matter what his intentions were, it’s about how it makes you feel.
If you feel uncomfortable or violated in any way, it’s important to address the issue.
Remember to approach the conversation calmly and professionally. Explain how the photo made you feel and ask your boss to refrain from sending anything similar in the future.
If you feel too uncomfortable to have a face-to-face conversation, consider sending an email or better yet, talking to HR about the situation.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that you have the right to feel safe and respected in your workplace. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise!
Stay strong and always stand up for yourself.