I’ve always believed in being kind and supportive at work, so when my coworker announced she was pregnant, I was truly happy for her. I brought her lunch, grabbed her files, and tried to make her day smoother. But what started as small favors quickly turned into daily demands. “Baby brain, can you help?” became her constant excuse to shift tasks my way. It felt less like kindness and more like being taken for granted.
When I gently asked her to ease up, she laughed and said, “You’ll understand when you’re pregnant.” Things got worse when she claimed my desk without asking, saying the window helped her nausea. I stood there shocked—my workspace was just taken like it didn’t matter. It felt like my boundaries meant nothing. I began to wonder if being nice had made me an easy target.
Then came the HR meeting. I expected a calm discussion, but instead, I was told to apologize for being unkind and insensitive. The sticky note I left asking to talk was called passive-aggressive. She said it made her feel unsafe, and suddenly, I was the villain. After that, my coworkers gave me the cold shoulder. I couldn’t believe how quickly the atmosphere turned cold.
It’s like standing up for myself meant I didn’t care about her pregnancy. But I’m not heartless—I understand it’s tough. Still, there’s a difference between support and being taken advantage of. I just wish the rest of the office could see that too. Everyone deserves empathy—but respect should go both ways.