Since Lisa got this at work, it would make a great piece of evidence to prove hostile environment, should any of the women on the listserv ever find themselves having to sue for sexual harassment. So in this case, these jokes, which are only new and funny and worth spreading around to you if you’ve only had internet access for 10 minutes of your life, are more actionable than hilarious.

When viewed in that light, whomever sent them is an idiot.

Busted, you are quite right. I mean, when I was sexually harassed a few years ago by an old boss, I hated it, but he thought it was great, so why should he be punished for my lack of humor?
He thought it was funny to call me names, and shove his hand up my skirt, but me, being a humorless feminist and all, couldn’t simply just take a joke.
You have enlightened me to the error of my silly, humorless ways. The next time a guy wants to violate me like that, hell, I’ll just rip my clothes off to make it easier for him! After all, it’s all in good fun, right? Ha ha!

Dickweed.

THAT’S NOT FUNNY!!!!ONE!!!!SHRILLNESS!!!!!111!!!

‘Cuz that seems waaay more likely to me than the idea that you sat down as a thinking person and typed out that comment without stopping to think for even a moment that1) the fact that these jokes make fun of women is indeed the entire point, 2) rape is never funny, 3) we know that most humor (except for puns) is at the expense of someone or something, and 4) whether or not something is intended to a make someone feel uncomfortable doesnt change the fact that it can and does make people feel uncomfortable.

Also, I cincerely doubt that your undoubtedly Internet-savvy grandmother “told” you any of those jokes. I’m not sure how anyone, grandmotherly or not, “tells” an e-mail forward. Peple “send” e-mail forwards, or “forward” them. Or are you familiar with that internet tradition?

Turnip.

If you don’t get a laugh out of it, it doesn’t mean people need to be disciplined. It means someone tried to make you laugh and failed. I doubt it was sent maliciously to make you uncomfortable at work.

If this joke makes you uncomfortable, you must have been raised in a very sheltered environment. The first time I heard this joke, my 72 yr old grandmother told it to me; she thought it was a riot!

Here in Portugal they have some Ali G-type comedians, one of whom has a character called the Macho Gay Guy or something like that. It’s a sleazy-looking guy dressed like a stereotypical womanizer, with shirt unbuttoned halfway down the chest and lots of jewelry, running around a street hitting on guys, saying “I could take you to heaven” and groping random men. In between shots of him harassing people, he does interview type clips where he says things like, “Men are so much better than women, I could never sleep with a woman.” and “I love all men, they are all beautiful. Even the ugly ones, they are smart, so I sleep with them too.”

It’s so simple, yet so brilliant. Hilarious.