Anyone Work In HR? Gay issue question....

[Veronika]

nope

Wow. There are no words!

[IceAlisa]

nope

I'd love to hear their reasoning for claiming "Chinese" food is offensive.

[Andora]

people in my office had to go to sensitivity training for saying that they were getting Chinese food, they were advised to say "food of Asian origin" in the future

Yikes. That's incredibly ridiculous. Not to mention impractical. If someone invites me out for "food of Asian origin," I'd like to know if it's delicious Japanese or Thai, etc. etc., vs. the Chinese food you find in my area that makes me sick. (I'm sure actual food in China is better)

[my little pony]

I'd love to hear their reasoning for claiming "Chinese" food is offensive.

They got a complaint from a girl of Chinese descent who said that when they ordered Chinese food it objectified her and she expected HR to make them stop it.

[IceAlisa]

They got a complaint from a girl of Chinese descent who said that when they ordered Chinese food it objectified her and she expected HR to make them stop it.

So the girl in question considers herself food. I see.

[Andora]

They got a complaint from a girl of Chinese descent who said that when they ordered Chinese food it objectified her and she expected HR to make them stop it.

I could see it being a problem if everyone turned into giant a-holes when ordering it, making obnoxious and racist jokes and such. (Like some university students I used to know) But even then, why would you banish the phrase "Chinese food" instead of dealing with bad behaviour?

[dbell1]

Do they have to order 'fried potatoes of French origin' while at McDonalds?

Flatfoote, sorry your sister has to deal with this. Must make work a battleground.

[Debbie S]

I'm so sick of the overuse of "hostile work environment" by many employees.

Seriously. At a company where I worked once, co-workers would give each other Christmas/holiday cards (this was a small co). Most would try to keep cards generic - the "Season's greetings" variety. One employee, a recent college grad (who was not the sharpest tool), gave out cards one year that said something like "May Jesus be with you this Christmas and always". And a few other words and images that were very Christian. I was a little annoyed - I'm Jewish - but I didn't say anything. The next year, I asked at a dept meeting (when boss asked us if we had any concerns we wanted her to address at the monthly dept heads meeting), if there could be a company-wide request for people to consider that not everyone is a Christian and if they were planning on giving out cards to everyone, to perhaps tone down the religious message out of respect for those with different beliefs.

I didn't want specific words named or banned, just a hint for people to be more thoughtful. Boss came back to me a few days later and said the HR person said there couldn't be such a request b/c it would create a "hostile work environment", b/c that would be interfering with religious expression - hello?! Asking people to be tolerant of others is hostile, but forcing me to put up with inappropriate messages shoved in my face is OK? Uh, huh.

[IceAlisa]

I am not Christian and am ethnically Jewish but not observant. However, I find it nice when people wish me a merry Christmas or whatever holiday they are celebrating. I just take it as good wishes and say it back.

[my little pony]

I could see it being a problem if everyone turned into giant a-holes when ordering it, making obnoxious and racist jokes and such. (Like some university students I used to know) But even then, why would you banish the phrase "Chinese food" instead of dealing with bad behaviour?

I agree but this wasnt the case. I think the only reason the complaint stuck was because it was made against the two most mild mannered people in the department who never stuck up for themselves. I'd still be fighting it. The girl who filed the complaint was a total pain about everything.

[Debbie S]

I am not Christian and am ethnically Jewish but not observant. However, I find it nice when people wish me a merry Christmas or whatever holiday they are celebrating. I just take it as good wishes and say it back.

I don't have a problem with that. This particular card (I don't remember a lot - it was 9 years ago) was just really super-religious, almost proselytizing (sp?). And like I said, the girl was young, and I thought maybe a little hint from mgmt (not directly, I didn't name names) would be a good idea for her personally, and it wouldn't hurt for others to be aware of the issue.

But given that she was a recent college grad, I was almost a bit more annoyed....b/c shouldn't someone educated (in our modern times, lol) not be quite so clueless?

[my little pony]

But given that she was a recent college grad, I was almost a bit more annoyed....b/c shouldn't someone educated (in our modern times, lol) not be quite so clueless?

lol, you reminded me that when I was that age I'm pretty sure I gave out cards I got for free and probably had no idea what they said

[IceAlisa]

But given that she was a recent college grad, I was almost a bit more annoyed....b/c shouldn't someone educated (in our modern times, lol) not be quite so clueless?

Oh the things educated people do. It's a whole other thread. In PI.

[Rob]

They got a complaint from a girl of Chinese descent who said that when they ordered Chinese food it objectified her and she expected HR to make them stop it.

But was it food from a Chinese restaurant? If it was a Thai or Japanese restaurant, and everyone called it Chinese food (a la the old 60s notion that anything or anyone Asian is Chinese), I might see her point. But how do you distinguish Chinese food from Thai or Japanese (very different) if you don't call it Chinese. I wonder how she refers to Mexican or Indian food?

ITA with Andora, if people order the food with fake accents or jokes etc. that is another issue. My brother will ask if we want to go for Indian food using a fake Indian accent and I always tell him "not if you are going to speak in that manner."

[Debbie S]

lol, you reminded me that when I was that age I'm pretty sure I gave out cards I got for free and probably had no idea what they said

LOL! Well, this girl lived at home and I figured she probably just took a bunch from the family stack. But I thought she should have realized not everyone she was giving one to shared her beliefs....or maybe she did.

[my little pony]

But was it food from a Chinese restaurant? If it was a Thai or Japanese restaurant, and everyone called it Chinese food (a la the old 60s notion that anything or anyone Asian is Chinese), I might see her point. But how do you distinguish Chinese food from Thai or Japanese (very different) if you don't call it Chinese. I wonder how she refers to Mexican or Indian food?

No, it was a Chinese restaurant. The poor guy who did the ordering was about the quietest person I ever met. Asking the girl next to him if she wanted Chinese food once a week was probably the only time he spoke out loud. She complained constantly. Part of her job was to translate either Mandarin or Cantonese, I can't remember which. She also said that this objectified her and she didnt want to do it. But it was her only job function. When she refused to translate, she had no job duties left.

[Bev Johnston]

Yet the men in the place are still allowed to talk about oogling women and the like.

Not saying that she would, but tell her to be careful if she's thinking of using this as a defence.

Case in point, a few years ago, my boss, another co-worker, and I were talking about the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". I don't remember anything offensive that was said - just discussion of the show - but someone who was out to get my boss made a complaint against her for offensive language. She was "counseled", and during the meeting with HR, said that she thought it was really the pot calling the kettle black, considering that this guy discussed all of his sexual exploits in detail and didn't seem to care who overheard or was offended. Well, long story short, she got written up for not reporting him, which meant no merit increases or promotions until the undetermined warning period was over. He got off scot free.

[danceronice]

people in my office had to go to sensitivity training for saying that they were getting Chinese food, they were advised to say "food of Asian origin" in the future

This is why I wonder if the word "lesbian" was offensive, or if the person who reported her thought SHE was being insensitive.

"Food of Asian origin"? I don't know whether to laugh or cry. What if it WAS Chinese? How about Chinese-American? If they ordered sushi could they call it Japanese? What if it was Japanese sushi made at a Chinese restaurant owned by Koreans?

[IceAlisa]

No, it was a Chinese restaurant. The poor guy who did the ordering was about the quietest person I ever met. Asking the girl next to him if she wanted Chinese food once a week was probably the only time he spoke out loud. She complained constantly. Part of her job was to translate either Mandarin or Cantonese, I can't remember which. She also said that this objectified her and she didnt want to do it. But it was her only job function. When she refused to translate, she had no job duties left.

Damn, I missed a chance to feel objectified when I translated medical literature from Russian to English and back.

[Flatfoote]

Thanks for all the great input. Keep it coming! I should see her this weekend, and I will direct her to this thread.