SINGAPORE: A Singaporean marketing professional says she was left shocked and demoralised after overhearing colleagues in the office attributing her career success to her appearance rather than her skills.
The woman, who has recently led several high-profile marketing campaigns, described the incident in detail on Reddit: “I was in the toilet cubicle and a few of my female colleagues walked in. They didn’t know I was there. They started talking about me, saying that the only reason I’m getting these lead roles is because I’m young and attractive. Then it got even more personal, they started making comments about my body, saying that my voluptuous figure and the fact that I gym are why the bosses give me face and opportunities.”
The woman said the experience felt like a total slap in the face, especially given the amount of effort she has been putting into her work.
“I’ve been putting in the hours. I stay back late, I mug over the data, and I really try my best to value-add to the projects I’m given. Recently, I got assigned as the lead for a few quite high-profile campaigns, and I was actually quite proud of it until today,” she said.
She also made it clear that her fitness routine is something she maintains for her own mental well-being, not as some strategic career move.
“I actually spend a lot of time on my fitness for my own mental health, and I work damn hard at my job, but in their eyes, all my effort is discounted just because of how I look? Like, if I was plain looking, would they finally admit I’m actually good at marketing?”
Seeking perspective, she asked the online community, “Is this just part of office politics? I feel so awkward now, having to go back to my desk and act like I didn’t hear anything. How do you guys deal with this kind of toxic environment? I just feel like crying and going home.”
“A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.”
In the comments section, several users said the incident was likely tied to office politics. One Singaporean Redditor suggested that the colleagues may have been aware of her presence and deliberately spoke about her within earshot as a way to pressure or edge her out of the company.
Another commenter encouraged the woman not to internalise the remarks, saying, “Don’t let it get to your head! This is all just to make you feel demoralised and bullied into quitting. I’ve also had colleagues mock and belittle me. It all just reflects on their own insecurities. They want to bully the younglings that threaten them out of the office. Don’t give in and keep a brave face. You got this!”
A third chimed in, “Take it positively, you are attractive, and they are jealous. Ignore the talk, but of course, be careful not to feed the gossip. Keep up your performance, and over time, you will outlast them. Remember this is their issue, not yours.”
A fourth reminded her of the good old saying, “A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.”
They added, “You are doing really well in life and at work and you should be proud of yourself. When you are outstanding, you are bound to attract gossips and critics from those who are envious. Don’t be bothered by what they say and just focus on your path. Chances are you are just one of many that they gossip about in their boring lives.”
In other news, a man’s life took an unexpected turn after his company informed him, seemingly out of the blue, that he was “effectively redundant due to company restructuring.”
On Wednesday (Mar 31), he shared his experience on an online forum, revealing that the firm, where he had been employed for a year, had paid out his notice period in full, along with an additional two weeks’ redundancy pay.
Read more: ‘Company paid off my notice and made me redundant overnight’: Man says he’s applied to 60+ jobs already
