Keep it in Your Pants

Ok, I've made it to Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The land of Gisele Bundchen and other drop-dead gorgeous people, in general.

I'm with a few co-workers (all male) and I have to say that I am so surprised by the 13 year-old boy mentality. Honestly, my co-workers are 28, 39 and 44 - at the sight of a pretty girl on our team from a local firm, they practically wet themselves. Eyes popped out of their heads, I see them make comments to each other about the hot girl. The 28 year-old is the pride of my all male staff (in addition to my team) in that every other guy (meaning the married ones) can live vicariously through him.

Here's my problem
1. 28? You're no longer 22 years-old dude and if you don't watch it, you'll become that "creepy guy"
2. The 28 year-old has a girlfriend and is constantly looking for praise for the fact that he is faithful to this girlfriend. Again...you're 28 - being in a relationship is expected - it is NORMAL behavior.
3. The ease in which my co-worker is praised and lauded for his sexual prowess. Kind of gross and totally inappropriate at work.
4. The co-worker has prior sexual harassment complaints filed against him by two girls in Sweden for his behavior. Yet, he continues on this path and is again encouraged repeatedly at every level in my dept. If it were me, I'd be scared silly and would be nothing short of professional.

It really irks me and over the course of my two audits here in Brazil I've called everyone out on the team for their behaviors and input into this scenario. Sometimes its in a joking way, but I've also pulled certain people aside and told them they'd better watch out if they want to be taken seriously down the road, etc. I've even cursed one co-worker into having girls that are cheated on by their boyfriends because "they're not married yet, live life while you can" (that was his quote and he didn't appreciate me calling him on it. He's a VERY conservative Catholic, if you couldn't guess...how dare I.)

At the end of the day, I shouldn't be surprised by this, nor should I let it work me up. However, its the same story every single day. A pretty girl walks by, same story every single time. At what point does this behavior become acceptable and even encouraged? Why do men do this? I don't buy genetic disposition, but its used as an excuse. "Its what guys do.". "Its how guys are wired." Personally, I think its a lame excuse to act like a pig. While I've never been a man and truly don't understand this, I do know lots of men that go through their lives without being a walking billboard for random hook-ups.