Dear Dora,
Men are constantly coming on to me, and it is driving me crazy!
I know it's hard to judge one's own looks and behavior objectively. I believe I am a reasonably attractive young woman, but no more so than the next girl. I try to dress professionally but modestly, and I try to act politely but without giving off "signals" to the men and boys around me that I'm "on the prowl," or available, although I would of course be interested in the sincere attentions of the right man.
Nevertheless, men are constantly accosting me in the most insulting way. Just this morning, the mail room boy in our office dropped off my mail, and made the following comment: "Hey, Miss Jenkins, you're looking especially hot today!" The man in the next cubicle from mine came by later and said "Sally! Whatta you say we go out for a long lunch today!" I know he wasn't really thinking about lunch!
Even my boss asked me if I wanted to go to a week-long convention with him as his "personal assistant!" In that case, and in the case of Rob, the guy in the next cubicle, this kind of sexual innuendo makes for a really uncomfortable working environment.
Do I have a basis for a sexual-harassment lawsuit?
Sincerely,
Sex Is Such A Nuisance
Dear Nuisance,
I have several reactions to your letter.
First, I think you may be a little over-sensitive to possibly sexual comments. No question the mail-room boy's comment was intended to be a little risquΓ©, but I think it was probably good natured and meant to be complimentary. Likewise, your cubicle-neighbor Rob's offer of a long lunch. You didn't say whether you were attracted to either of these guys, but I take from context that you are not. You might want to relax a little and not always assume every comment is a pass. As hard as it might be, try to imagine that every man in your office is not constantly trying to seduce you.
Second, your boss' offer of a trip to a convention may or may not have been a solicitation for sexual favors. Did he mention what the travel and sleeping arrangements might be at the convention? Did he mention what your duties there might entail? Here's a thought: maybe he was actually offering you a unique opportunity for professional advancement and you turned him down because you're so self-absorbed.
Third, if you feel uncomfortable in your job situation now, please go right ahead and file that sexual-harassment lawsuit. Based on what you have told me in your letter, such a suit has not a chance in hell of succeeding, but it will certainly cool off the socio-sexual atmosphere around you at the office. It's the one course of action that will make your current situation look attractive by comparison.
I don't know exactly what kind of story-book eunuch you might consider "the right man" who could possibly be the author of the appropriate "sincere attentions," but I would be surprised if you find a guy any time soon that is interested in an egotistical, cold-hearted bitch like you. I'm just saying.
Dora
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Dear Dora,
My problem is straightforward. My husband is a very big man. He's not fat by any means, but he is much larger than the average guy. He's taller, wider, thicker in the torso, with bigger muscles, a bigger neck, and bigger legs than any other man I know of.
The problem is, he's bigger in every way, if you know what I mean. What I mean to say that this man is really, really big! What you might think of as, painfully big, if you get my drift.
John also has fantastically big appetites. He drinks a lot, eats a lot, plays a lot, works very hard, and her likes to ... well he enjoys his "marital privileges" A LOT. Frequently, and thoroughly.
I'm a normal woman, I guess, and I enjoy sex. I love John like crazy, and I have never refused him anything he wanted to do, any time. But I can tell you, you can only take so much. In a word, I'm worn out. We've been married three years, and I'm not sure I will survive another three. Can you help?
Worn Out