[aasarava]

I agree that many officeplaces are "intense" or downright toxic. But keep in mind that the diversity initiatives you are concerned about are actual attempts to make the workplace less intense and toxic -- for women, people of color, anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, people from minority religions, people with disabilities and anyone else who hasn't typically been welcome in offices.

The depictions of goofing off and office romances make for nice sitcoms, but a full picture would also show you the people who were sexually harassed, verbally abused, denied promotions, denied time off to care for loved ones, and more.

Are the diversity initiatives sometimes awkward, sometimes uncomfortable, and sometimes possible even ineffective? Sure, it's a difficult process and there's no guidebook. But it's certainly far better than continuing to ignore the real problems because some voters aren't aware of them (and some are downright hostile to change because it affects their economic interests or perceived status.)

[dougmwne]

And I am LGBTQ+ so I get it, I really do. It’s still a little intimidating keeping up with an ever changing landscape of shibboleths. And you can never assume people’s pure intentions either. Being part of a minority group does not mean you can’t play politics. I have absolutely watched these things weaponized in HR complaints and people being branded as biased. We don’t have a culture of teaching and forgiveness but of shaming and reprimand.

[Tagbert]

the best way to to navigate that landscape is to be professional, keep sexual innuendo to a minimum, and treat people with respect. that reduces your risk profile to a manageable level. If someone is truly weaponizing HR with false complaints and getting away with it, you should look for a different office. That is not acceptable and not typical and you should be able to find better.