I’ve only been at my new job for a month, so I’m still getting to know my colleagues and what makes them tick. Or should that be who makes them tick?
I was sitting with Claire, helping her with a TVC script when Sonja, our producer wandered over to Claire’s desk. She’d got engaged the night before and was showing off her beautiful ring. Squeaks of congratulations were flying through the air space of the open plan office. She was glowing, blushing, grinning from ear to ear.
Me: How did he propose? (Nothing wrong with that question? It’s the obvious one, right? WRONG!!!!!!)
S & C, in unison: She.
Me: Oh my god. I’m so sorry. Soooo sorry! (Wishing that the ground would open up and swallow me.)
Just when you think you’ve got the liberal thing down, your traditional worldview, which has probably been lurking in the dark recesses of your conscious jumps up and bites you in the ass. I’m ashamed that my first thought was from my hetro point of view. Have I been programmed or am I just so immersed in my self-centered point of view that I just assumed that everyone’s like me?
Sonja said it was fine, how was I to know. Indeed. The truth is that I don’t really care one way or another what the significant other’s gender is as long as people find people who make them happy and feel loved.
Perhaps we need to find a new derivative of s/he, you know like the “word” waitron. Waiter/esses no long have a gender. Perhaps genders shouldn’t have a gender. Okay, I know that doesn’t make sense, but it would make it a lot easier for faux pas idiots like me.
I was sitting with Claire, helping her with a TVC script when Sonja, our producer wandered over to Claire’s desk. She’d got engaged the night before and was showing off her beautiful ring. Squeaks of congratulations were flying through the air space of the open plan office. She was glowing, blushing, grinning from ear to ear.
Me: How did he propose? (Nothing wrong with that question? It’s the obvious one, right? WRONG!!!!!!)
S & C, in unison: She.
Me: Oh my god. I’m so sorry. Soooo sorry! (Wishing that the ground would open up and swallow me.)
Just when you think you’ve got the liberal thing down, your traditional worldview, which has probably been lurking in the dark recesses of your conscious jumps up and bites you in the ass. I’m ashamed that my first thought was from my hetro point of view. Have I been programmed or am I just so immersed in my self-centered point of view that I just assumed that everyone’s like me?
Sonja said it was fine, how was I to know. Indeed. The truth is that I don’t really care one way or another what the significant other’s gender is as long as people find people who make them happy and feel loved.
Perhaps we need to find a new derivative of s/he, you know like the “word” waitron. Waiter/esses no long have a gender. Perhaps genders shouldn’t have a gender. Okay, I know that doesn’t make sense, but it would make it a lot easier for faux pas idiots like me.
