Give Them Some Truth Bombs Along With The Bath Bombs

(I work in a shop that’s famous for its fun bath products and good customer service. Being a cosmetics company, most of the employees are female or gay men, though it’s not uncommon for straight cis men to join staff, too; anyone and everyone can use or sell soap, right? I have a straight male coworker who prides himself on his hard work and on giving the best customer service he possibly can. He’s also very typically “straight” in both appearance and demeanor. On this occasion he is giving two women in their early 30s a shop tour, spending about an hour with them and helping them choose their purchases before bringing them to the tills. I am doing some work behind the counter, so when they come over, I hear this.)

Customer #1: “I’d love to work here. It looks so fun!”

Coworker: “Yeah, it really is. Everybody here is like one big family.”

Customer #1: “You’re probably gay, though, right?”

Coworker: *obviously a bit taken aback but staying professional* “I’m actually not, no. I live with my girlfriend at the moment and we’ve been together for two years.”

Customer #2: “Are you sure?”

Coworker: “Quite sure, yeah.”

Customer #1: “Are you really straight? You can’t be.”

Customer #2: “Yeah, why would you work here if you weren’t gay?”

(I can see that my coworker looks very put out and uncomfortable, and I’m not feeling best pleased myself as I’m bisexual and have had people inappropriately quiz me about my sexuality before, too, so I step in.)

Me: “Is there a reason men would have to be gay to work here?”

Customer #1: “Well, yeah! It’s weird for straight men to like this stuff!”

Me: “Why? Straight men take baths, don’t they? They take showers and use soap and wash their hair and their faces, don’t they? Straight men buy from here all the time and I can assure you they can work here, too.”

Customer #1: *ignores me and turns back to my coworker* “You’re at least bisexual, aren’t you?”

Coworker: “No.”

Customer #2: “What, like, you mean you’ve never had any c**k at all?”

Coworker: *handing them their purchases in bags* “Have a lovely day, ladies.”

(The two women then turn and leave, seemingly unaware that they just made him very uncomfortable. My coworker is stood there looking like he has a very bad taste in his mouth.)

Me: “You okay?”

Coworker: “Why are people so invasive? I don’t care if people think I’m gay, but I don’t want complete strangers interrogating me about my sexuality and acting like they know better. Who does that?”