rude comments on appearance

[prjkt]

Once while I was working as a customer greeter, on a night when the registers were insanely busy, and there was only a relatively newly trained service desk staff member, who happened to be a close friend of mine, working the returns counter, I observed a customer trying to return an item with no receipt - which means exchange voucher only, no cash, no credit refund.

Obviously the girl at the service desk told him that he can only get an exchange voucher - he didn't like this, so after repeating herself several times, the customer started abusing her, calling her a "fat whale" among other things. The girl was close to tears, so I walked up to the customer, and here's the exchange - being tall helps - it means I can be a real hardass when i need to

ME: I'm going to have to ask you to leave now.
SC: Not until I get my money back!
ME: Not after the way you treated my workmate
SC: *ranting about wanting his money back*d
ME: Get out. Now. <-by this stage I was really pissed off
SC: *more ranting*
ME: Out <- i think the SC got the idea by this stage, with the look on my face and the tone of my voice, so he grabbed his item and stormed off

At this point, the service co-ordinator had come back to the service desk, after hearing the exchange and told the girl to take 20 minute break

[XCashier]

You know, this is gonna sound weird, but some guys flirt like that.

They make disparaging comments like that, get you good and empty of confidence, then hit on you. The mindeset being that at that point, you ought to be desperate and thankful for a little male attention.

That is nasty. Right, I'm so unsure of myself and desperate for male attention that I'll cling to an abusive creep like you. Go yourself, Bubba.

And yes, the sad thing is, it must work on some women or those creeps wouldn't say that.

He used to say things like "You'd be more attractive if you'd lose some weight." He said this to me when I was in my early 20's, weighed 117 pounds, and had a figure that literally caused accidents. I just deadpanned back "You'd be more attractive if you were someone else."

PWND! He probably didn't realize how bloody rude he was being. Probably still doesn't. Let's hope he never breeds.

[Inker]

I am what some would call "heavily" tattooed (3/4 sleeves on both arms, wrist, forearms, chest, back, etc..), and get accosted a lot because of it. I've even had a woman literally pull open my shirt to "get a better look".

I'm usually happy to answer the usual questions (did that hurt (yes), how much (a lot), how long did it take (very long), etc), but I get sick of people assuming that a tattoo is an open invitation for them to TOUCH that area of my body.

[chainedbarista]

baristagirl, don't think of it as you're not good enough for them, rather, think of it as they are not good enough for YOU.

anyone who has to resort to such behavior isn't worth wiping your shoes on (doesn't keep the comment from hurting, still, but it's true).

it's funny how people see us all as potential captive audiences for their sorry jokes, stories or a victim for them to take out their frustration at whatever's eating at them on; it's cowardice, plain and simple, why else would they act out against people they (mistakenly) think cannot verbally defend themselves?

the one time i didn't get upset about the tired comment was this week, when in fact i am tired, because i'm sick with an allergy related illness.

a horse of a different color, to be sure, than those who do so for whatever sick reasoning.

[edicius]

I, too, have the problems with the dark circles under my eyes and I think I may try and do some Vitamin K/cucumber extract treatments after reading some stuff on it. I constantly get rude comments about them.

"Up late last night, eh?"

To which I either reply:
"No, I went to bed around 9."
or
"Yep, with your mom."

I only use the latter in certain situations.

I also seem to have one of those appearances that leads people to just ask me out of the blue, "What's wrong?" I absolutely hate that.

[Sharsarannon]

Oh, I know what it's like to have unprovoked remarks on my appearance. I even posted a thread here on Customers Suck about how a lady told me I was too pale and needed a tan. People just need to get over their little self esteem issues and leave everyone else alone.

OH MY GAWSH I know!! Gyah! Forgive my rantishness but every dang time I go to the beach, or anywhere in a swimsuit, some idiot feels it is their civic duty to tell me to "lay out" because I "look sick" and am "too white". Frequently said idiot is related to me, unfortunately, so they're someone usually dear to my heart and I can't just slap them. I tend to rant at them instead, go me. Real effective.

[walking with scissors]

This has nothing to do with your appearance, it's all about being rude. I'd personally go with the Miss Manners icy glare and a cold "how very kind of you to notice."

[Boozy]

I just deadpanned back "You'd be more attractive if you were someone else."

Congratulations, RK. I'm not one to laugh out loud much, but this one made me break rule number 1 for the first time since I joined.

[GingerBiscuit]

Not me, but an ex colleauge- who was gorgeous, tall and naturally model-slim once got a customer asking her if she ate.
She also used to get older women going.
'goodness, How much do you weigh? Do you eat? You'll never have children if you don't EAT you know.'

The one time anyone asked me a similar question I responded with 'No, I don't eat. I photosynthesise."

[BaristaGirl]

I am VERY self-conscious about my weight, and when people do things, like, for example, ask if I'm pregnant, it really really doesn't help. I've worked so hard on my appearance; I'm buying nicer clothes, starting to wear a little makeup, I've (thankfully, finally!) got most of my acne under control, got a really sexy haircut,but it's just not good enough for these people. It's so depressing.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

You know, this is gonna sound weird, but some guys flirt like that.

They make disparaging comments like that, get you good and empty of confidence, then hit on you. The mindeset being that at that point, you ought to be desperate and thankful for a little male attention.

I've seen it time and time again. A few of the profoundly stupid ones actually tried it on me (and got a woman openly laughing in their faces for their trouble).

How many times have you seen abusive men say things like "you should be thankful to have someone like me, most men wouldn't find you attractive" ?

We had a guy in the scene shop that was like that. He used to say things like "You'd be more attractive if you'd lose some weight." He said this to me when I was in my early 20's, weighed 117 pounds, and had a figure that literally caused accidents. I just deadpanned back "You'd be more attractive if you were someone else." Nice try, asshole.

Pig.

How gross.

[IHateStupidCustomers]

Have any of you have an SC basically call you fat?

I worked in a shoe department, and someone else was working the register and I was doing busy work and stocking floor displays. I ask these guys trying on shoes if they were finding everything okay, etc. They were fine. I don't think they bought anything. Apparently this guy had seen me in the store before, because the next time I walked by, the guy goes. "Putting on some weight, aren't you?"

"Uh....I don't know." I wasn't about to deal with this guy. I start to walk away.
"How do you not know if you've gained weight?"
I give him a death stare and turn around to go to the stockroom to cry a little.
I had gained maybe 5 or 10 pounds, but it was mostly from medication. And I just could not believe the nerve of that guy!

[Pezzle]

Didn't know pimples could be stress related. I clean my face, and cut out soda! Yet, I have a cluster of 10 bumps on the top of my head, more on my cheeks and nose, and some narsty ones on my chin!

Must be the holidays.

And yeah I get comments on my appearance by really stupid nasty customers who dont' think a fat person knows that they're fat and trying to get rid of said fat. As one nice man from haiti referred to me as: That fat white bitch in computers.

[sarahj]

I'm very pale, and though I admit I'm very cute in a bikini, I'm bright white all over. I find it more funny than embarrassing, though. Anyway, I tend to get "you have really nice skin, stay out of the sun" more than "get a tan." Odd.

[iradney]

Gotten all those too..... Enough so to come up with a few retorts.

What's the weather like up there?
Clear, but I'm getting tired of having to dodge satellites.

How tall are you?
Get me a ruler long enough and I'll tell you.

Do you play basketball?
Are you a jockey?

Have you always been that tall?
Nope. When I was 6 I accidentally took a bath in hot water and shrunk.

Have you gotten taller?
No, it's the heels. (Note: As a guy, I obviously don't own anything with a raised heel.)

TTO just says

"No, you're a midget"

Not politically correct, I know, but he gets sick of it after a while.