the mot juste
I now work on an all-male (except for the boss!) team, which means my gender has caused a bit of comment since I came--nothing terrible, just some tiresome lip service to, oh, we should stop cursing now there's a lady present (not that they do, which is fine, since I fucking love cursing, but, you know, why bother saying what you don't mean?), finally some female energy on the team (which depending on tone and context can be an okay pro-diversity type sentiment or weirdly oh-what-pleasure-she'll-bring-to-us, make-us-pockets-and-sing-to-us), "night guys... and gal" (if you can't call a group which includes or consists of girls "guys", I have some serious explaining to do to all the women I've ever known).
Progress, though: today two of them described my ownership of an Edward Cullen action figure as "a little gay."
Progress, though: today two of them described my ownership of an Edward Cullen action figure as "a little gay."