The Rebranding of Sexual Harassment

I've just heard about a company who strongly "encourages" a few selected female employees to perform for the head honcho (and the rest of the company) during their annual dinner.

Performances by staff during annual dinners are nothing extraordinary really. It is free entertainment and everyone has a good time. Usually new recruits get this privilege.

However, there are criterias set by this company (or rather the head honcho) - age, height, weight, and probably even vital statistics. (I fail on all accounts - too much, too little, too much, too little, respectively). Some accounts say that photos of potential candidates are sent to a selection committee for review (without the candidate's permission of course). If selected, it's mandatory that you perform.

The dress code is skimpy outfit (think bikini), and you have to gyrate dance on stage. The winner is handsomely rewarded.

I was aghast when I heard this. It must be a chinaman company, I thought. Coz I have never heard of anything like this before (well, you have to count Hugh Hefner out, of course). Imagine my surprise when I heard that it's a large corporation, a well known name in the industry.

I told Roland about this. I asked, can you guess what company is this? He got it right on first try. I was surprised, coz I thought my news were hot off the press!

He mentioned a friend who works there and all those rumours are true. Because this friend is one of the selected performers. She has been selected to sing for their annual dinner and yes, she has to wear something sexy. How sexy, I have yet to find out.

I was even more shocked when I heard this friend has agreed to perform for the annual dinner. Allow me to state that I am not against any performances by staff during annual dinners. What I disagree is on the requirement to dress sexily for the benefit of the big guns.

Why would a woman subject herself to such harassment? For promotions and money? One might argue that a prostitute or a stripper do the same thing. True. But what one does in one's private domains is one's business. Here we are talking about a company annual dinner. It is a work affair (!). I asked myself, what would I do in such circumstances and the answer is pretty simple and straight forward.

I mentioned this to a colleague. She did not react much, citing "every company has it's own cultures".

I told her, agreed, all companies somehow have their own culture. I am an open-minded person who welcome other people's opinions and views. Hmmm... culture.

So... As this disgusting act can be rebranded as "culture", so, can we expect 6-foot males, with 6-pack abs to be parading in g-strings or maybe some manhood covers, in the program for the annual dinner? Let's not mention vital statistics. Howzabout a... umm.. say an 8 perhaps?

(I kinda dig this one, it has an ethnic feel to it, whaddya think?)