I think you did good, thanks for standing your ground and calling him out.

Hmm.. this definition is even shocking to me.

I agree it's a sexist term, but I would question whether this man actually understood the definition when he used it. I'm going to guess he had no idea.

It might have been a very good time to educate him nicely. I did this once when a man at work referred to me as a "cougar."
I asked him what he meant by that, only to find his definition to be quite complimentary. Once I explained what it actually means and how I felt hearing it, he was very apologetic.

I'll add that I believe this is a very confusing time. While I appreciate that certain things can no longer be tolerated, there is a learning process. Having compassion for one another, during this process (and the things we get wrong along the way) will make us all much faster learners.

I think it was good that you confronted him on it. If you provoked his mind enough to make him think about the way he thinks, you've made a contribution to society.

He's probably so stupid he didn't know what it was...

Glad you called him on it. If he continues you could say he is filling that common role of office eunuch. See if he can take as much as he dishes out.

Never heard that term before. Sounds like high school.

Good on ya for calling him out IN THE MOMENT.
He knew exactly what he was saying, I don't believe his excuses for a second.
He needs to be reported to HR, his and yours, if they're different.
For him to hang up on you is also extremely unprofessional.
I'm sorry you still have to deal with these ignorant asses.

Further, if I knew the woman he was referring to, I'd tell her what he said about her.
I think she's got a right to know what's being said behind her back.
-- But, that's just me. I'd set the place on fire, metaphorically-speaking.

As much as I miss working (sometimes), I REALLY do NOT miss this kind
of bullshit.

I never heard the phrase before. I learn new things all the time here.

It is a pejorative term. It is also, very sadly, still a fact of life.

There is, in my workplace (a state prison), an employee who, with zero custody experience, zero experience outside the records office, and a total of three years experience in the Department of Corrections, was put in charge of half a cell block housing 120 prisoners and supervising 6 officers, who had to teach her her job. She had no qualifications whatsoever, except that she needed supervisory experience on her resume and the Warden was willing to oblige her by installing her over a dozen staff who were in line ahead of her. And, how can I put this without offending... she has the looks. Dresses like she's going to the bar even though it's a prison.

We were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but everything since then backed up the initial perception that she was given the spot as a gift, not because she had any skills or talent. She even helped a corrupt supervisor at a higher level destroy the evidence of his misconduct. (Not that his fellow higher-ups investigated what everyone knew was going on.)

Another friend of mine, who is by no means unattractive, has been the "assistant to the warden's assistant" for almost 20 years now, and seen a string of women promoted past her and hired in above her, whom she has had to train to do the job, do the job for them, and get blamed because she didn't do their jobs for them. The current incumbent basically forwards emails from various supervisors to everyone else because she maintains the group email lists, and that's all she does. But she's very good at wearing tight clothes, as was the one before her. And she's great at sitting at a desk while other people do her work.

I had never heard that exact phrase you used, but it is still a thing. As long as horny male executives do their thinking with their gonads, and a few unscrupulous women realize they can use this to get what they want, it will probably be a thing.

I'm against both behaviors. I'm for people being rewarded for their talents, not their genes.

Ya, that’s not going to fly these days.....

it seems that since he used the term, that he would have known what it means, and therefore used it in an offensive manner.

Good for you, K. Right on.

If he said it, and then feigned ignorance, you spent too much time on him. Move on......

ughh why do they ASSume that the only reason the woman got the job is cuz of her looks, breasts or sexual favours?! Could it be because in an actual meritocratic hiring process men are losing out on jobs because of BETTER qualified women, and the way to ease their egos is to blame nefarious reasons for the woman being hired? Methinks so.

Good for you. People need to be called out on these sorts of things.

Men need to be taught. It's just a fact. I'm sorry we are coming from such a deficit. Don't give us a pass. But don't actually spank us.

Good for you questioning him on his choice of terms. Hopefully he will not do so again. Yes, I know, I am a bit of a Pollyanna, but maybe he learned something?!?

It's sad that guys are still like that (and that there are women who still feel that's the only way to get ahead). Because my first thought was, it sounds like something you'd hear on Mad Men.

I never heard of the office bunny. I though it had something to do with easter.

Never heard that. Whether it is pejorative or not depends on her feelings about it. Maybe she thought it was funny, who knows.

I wrote a long and thoughtful brilliant reply that has been lost in the ether of the Agnostic/Internet...I guess. Oh well. Trust me, it was wonderful.

Thankfully women like you are maybe training men to think. Some can use the help so badly.

Whether or not it means something should depend on how something is received as well as how it's intended. According to that definition, it certainly does mean something derogatory and the speaker should be made aware of what he's really saying, if he doesn't know already. And if it made the person who was being referred to feel uncomfortable or if it needed to be said behind her back, that should be a sign that it does mean something. I'm glad you spoke up.

I refer to rednecks as Bubba sometimes. I guess it's similar.
Frankly, the guy was pretty dumb to use that term to another woman.
Not that it's any better, but a guy is 99% less likely to be offended by it.