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You’d think that in 2026, women would be able to go to work at their jobs, do their work, come home, and that would be the end of it, just like how a man can. You’d think that it would be easy, that the fact that they are a woman wouldn’t be a problem at all. But how wrong you’d be for thinking that when in reality, so many women are still harassed, underpaid, or treated as lesser than their male colleagues, simply because sexism is still an outrageous problem in certain parts of most societies in the world.

It’s ridiculous, and it’s sad, but it’s the truth that many women have to face every day. And it’s something that the majority of men don’t have a clue about. So when the guy in this story noticed that his female co-worker was getting a lot of male attention, he initially said nothing – after all, she’d asked that her colleagues leave her to her work. But then it got to be so much that it was starting to make him feel very uncomfortable on her behalf.

Read on to find out why.

I kind of feel bad for my female cubicle partner

I have this co-worker, female, not my type but attractive.

I’ve kind of felt bad for her lately as she is the only woman in our department, and because of this, she gets so much attention and never any alone time.

I think since she moved departments three weeks ago, she’s had a total of ten minutes to herself. She gets guys from all over that come to her.

I still remember our first day when she made an announcement telling everyone not to bother her because she’s not a people person, anti-social and just likes to be left alone… yet it’s been everything but that since then.

But there’s even more reason why this guy feels so sorry for her.

I generally wouldn’t care or even notice, but seeing as she’s literally right next to me, it’s hard not to.

Even being partners I think in total we’d spoken maybe like five sentences to each other the entire time we’ve been here – I do my best not to bother her seeing as she’s already always crowded.

But recently there was this moment where she was on the phone, literally almost bawling cause she saw her ex-husband for the first time earlier today since their divorce, and literally as soon as she was done on the phone, a guy comes in.

She didn’t even have time to get herself back together. I mean she hid that she was emotional just minutes before very well, he didn’t even notice but damn… it kinda sucks.

It’s a real shame that even in 2026 women are being treated this way.

She’s clearly having a really hard time, and still the guys are bothering her.

It’s great that her cubicle partner is more respectful, but the others need to give her a break.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person suggested he let her know that he’s there if she needs support.

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While others thought that he could make some suggestions about how to help.

Meanwhile, this Redditor had been in a similar situation as the woman, and explained what worked.

Sure this guy could make the cubicle a hostile place for other men attempting to harass his co-worker, but he shouldn’t do that without her permission. In reality, he can’t assume that this is bothering her – though it likely is. He really must try to discuss it with her, considering how uncomfortable it’s making him – someone who isn’t even directly affected. Because if he knows how best to support her with this situation, he can be probably the first man in this office to actually show up for her in a positive way.

The way that the other men at this workplace are treating her is totally unfair. Just the fact that she’s a woman is leading them to behaving like she’s the star exhibit in a zoo, and that must be a really uncomfortable situation to be in – let alone to try to get any work done in. Sure these men might think that they’re somehow brightening her day (how big are their egos?) but they’re actually causing a hostile work environment, and that’s never okay.

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Author

Kyra Piperides

Kyra Piperides, PhD | Contributing Science Writer

Dr. Kyra Piperides is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter, specializing in Science & Discovery. Holding a PhD in English with a dedicated focus on the intersections of science, politics, and literature, she brings over 12 years of professional writing and editorial expertise to her reporting.

Kyra possesses a highly authoritative background in academic publishing, having served as the editor of an academic journal for three years. She is also the published author of two books and numerous research-driven articles. At TwistedSifter, she leverages her rigorous academic background to translate complex scientific concepts, global tech innovations, and environmental breakthroughs into highly engaging, accessible narratives for a mainstream audience.

Based in the UK, Kyra is an avid backpacker who spends her free time immersing herself in different cultures across distant shores—a passion that brings a rich, global perspective to her writing about Earth and nature.

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