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Maybe they'd heard you'd stopped Blogging at were intent on driving you to post just the once more?
Damn! I fell right into their evil trap! 
I'm just trying to imagine how it would be for a chap doing the same in front of an all female group of production workers.
Probably just as bad, but that's no excuse. It goes with the territory I'm afraid.
My sister is an environmental engineer and sometimes has to do presentations on oil rigs. Her company always wanted to send her as it guaranteed attendance!
(must ask if she ever got mooed at).
I remember working as a barman at a conference for midwives once - I know how you felt
Next time I have to do a software demo, I'm going to try the bursting out of a cake thing. It sounds fun.
I used to have a young woman who worked for me who used to get exactly the same response when ever she went out into the factory. At first it put her off making such trips but eventually she decided it was not aceeptable and starting confronting them. She found this very hard but it worked (though it did take a long time) and she was finaly able to carry on with her work without such unacceptable interference.
Actually, this is a management issue. And a serious one. Have you made a complaint?
Nothing quite so intimidating is there. Mooing? Did they have rings through their noses
I think everyone deals with a band of testosterone-twits once in a while, sadly.
I'd have decked them, but, then again, that's probably frowned upon.
bromman - that's an interesting point. When I first read your comment, I thought: "no way would women behave like that", but thinking about it, you might be right...
BW - I thought someone would suggest that. Big certainly did when I told him. I haven't complained, no. I'm just not sure it would do any good.
Laura - the mooing was probably in reference to my "not insubstantial" buttocks
Ruggybabs - perhaps it would be frowned upon, but I imagine it would bring a sense of satisfaction...
I asked Mr BW what would happen is someone did this to a female in his company. He said that the person would be sacked. After discussion, he conceded 'final written warning', but he says it's very serious, and you MUST take it to HR.
PS He's just added that HR may not do anything this time, but at least it will be on file, and if it happens to you (or anyone else) in the future, it will be on record.
Also, if push comes to shove, and things deteriorate, you will have a supporting paper trail (keep your own records, or ask for copies of the notes they've made).
As Mr BW said, you have to change 'anx' into any other minority group in that environment. If you were of ethnic minority origin, there'd be all hell let loose. Don't let this one go.
You owe it to yourself, and to others in the future, to do something. Good luck.
God, how horrendous. Kudos to you for managing to retain your dignity and get through the demonstration. And I'm with those who say this should be reported. Definitely.
Oooh. Are some of us just taking all this a bit too seriously? OK, it’s all a bit crass and a touch embarrassing for everyone concerned (moo-ers and moo-ees) but it has been going on since the dawn of time, and as has already been pointed out isn’t just male territory. If a similar presentation had been made to a group of male white collar workers they would have looked at the same things and thought the same things but limited their comments to each other afterwards. Frankly I prefer the honesty and immediacy of our blue collar friends. There is also the issue of factory etiquette which states that any outsider must be subjected to a level of ridicule/ribaldry/something else beginning ‘ri’ in order to test their reaction and see if they’re ‘alright’; I think this episode will have as much to do with that as any ‘phwoar’ factor (with all due respect of course Anxious!). It isn’t these guys you need to worry about it’s the furtive lurkers who’ll say nothing but start a scrap book about you in their bedroom, stifling the natural behaviour of the male pack will only allow them more cover and camouflage. Next time put them down with a well chosen comment and assert your superiority, that’s really what they’re inviting anyway. I thought it was very nice of BF to bristle at the thought of the unwarranted attention as well by the way – bet he’s also pleased about it too though in some ways!
Hey swiss, haven't seen you around for a while...
I think the reason I haven't reported it is because I kind of agree with you. Trouble is, I'm no good at coming up with "well chosen comments" on the spot, although afterwards I can think of many!
And I didn't really take the mooing as "phwoar". I took it more as "she's got a huge arse".
swiss' reaction is why this sort of thing continues. Because some people just don't get it and think this kind of thing is acceptable. I bet he'd be complaining if it was a racist comment that had been made. There is no difference. It's about *respect*.
And saying that it's OK because the colleagues were 'blue collar friends', is, quite frankly, reprehensible. Sorry anxious.
I think swiss is being realistic, though. Are we ever going to stop this kind of thing from happening when it seems to be part of human behaviour?
Well it's all good stuff anyway because it's got me to post something to continue the thread over at mine if anyone's interested, especially Blue Witch who I would like to extend a warm welcome to. Peace sister.
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