the nature of my work environment

in a work place that is dominated by sexists and chauvanists, i admit that, aside from the fact that i don't like my work, it also makes my feet heavier to drag to the office. probably, in such profession that is predominantly for men, it is quite hard for me to look for a circle where i could talk things like these that i post here. although, i know that not all of them are one, i just observed that most of the time, these certain individuals who are not, are easily eaten up by the general norm.

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i have 16 colleagues in our group, which is composed of a girl, a lesbian, a gay and the rest are heterosexual men. i have been to countless teams before. but i could say that this group is unique from the rest. being with them for almost half a year now, it just occured to me how stereotypes happened.

stereotypes are general characteristics identified to a certain group. but personally, i never believed in such. for me, it is wrong to identify one based from the group he belongs because no two persons are exactly alike. in other words, every individual is unique on their own.

my officemates' typical conversations include basketball, naruto, xbox, psp, beer drinking, girl hooking, girls, girls and more girls. personally, i really don't have problems about girl conversations. but if the topic is already over boarding to pervesion and "pambabastos." there is where my problems start.

regardless of gender, i just find it insulting as a person to hear remarks regarding someone being identified as an object (of sex and prestige). i hate it when people starts talking how big someone breasts, butts and even bulges are. i despise people who keep on putting themselves higher than anyone else just because they think they are better and treat people like things. worst, they don't even have what it takes. but along the entire conversation, what surprised me was how those people which i deemed not to be sexists nor chavaunist, started talking trash as well. it made me wonder.

two days later, i accidentally had the chance to talk to one of the most sexist and chauvanist colleauge.. i just learned that he is actually taking the same route that i take whenever i go home. surprisingly, not a single word regarding being what i perceived him to be came out of his mouth on our conversation. then it occured to me after we part ways that probably these stereotypes that we might have regarding certain groups are actually brought about by peer association and pressure.

given that each individual has their own characteristics, there is a possibility that by the time they are put into their group, each has the tendency to display these stereotypic characteristics.

call it peer pressure. but i call it a burden that still makes me drag myself to work and that is just another of my two cents.