I just walked through the department office to get to the kitchen to refill my water bottle. The department secretary stopped me and said, "Can I ask you a question?" I said sure. She said, "Do you have a home church?" I said no. She pulled out a stack of business cards and started handing one to me and telling me about her church. I said, "I'm Jewish." She said, "You're Jewish?" I said yes. She said, "So you don't go to church?" I said no, and walked away before the conversation could get any weirder.

I don't think I've gotten the "Do you have a home church?" question since I left New Orleans.

"So you don't go to church?"

This is right up there with "So you don't even celebrate Christmas?" on the Top Five Oblivious Questions Routinely Asked Of Jews. I think the only appropriate response I can give is "Oy."

Well, she's from Cote D'Ivoire. I'm not sure how many Jews she would have met there.

Hil, how is it that you are such a magnet for inappropriate questions/expressions? Mercy.

I can say, from personal experience, I used to be the one who had the 'Verbally violent? Welcome!" sign on my forehead...with some physical stuff too, come to that. I was hassled ALL. THE. FREAKING. TIME.

No more. Seriously, someone recently asked me how long it has been since I made this transition and, except for one notable...quite instructive...exception, nobody speaks ill to me anymore.

It's not that I deal with it better, it just doesn't happen.

Man. Do I wish the same for you!

Hil, how is it that you are such a magnet for inappropriate questions/expressions? Mercy.

She looks non threatening. People tend not to bother me, because it's clear that I will rip you a new asshole if you piss me off :) However, religious stuff is often the exception, since people of color tend to be more vocal about their religiousity, so people think that it's okay to prostelytize.

She looks non threatening. People tend not to bother me, because it's clear that I will rip you a new asshole if you piss me off

I'm sure this is part of it. Goodness knows, I'm only 5ft, but I did nearly get arrested that time the guy kicked my dog in the head at the park.

It really does have a lot to do with how you carry yourself, I suppose.

It seems like people who tell me about their church don't think going to a Methodist church counts. Methodism, getting to heaven through the backdoor.

I am technically the member of a Methodist church even though I am not really a Methodist.

It seems that she's been evangelizing to everybody today. Reactions have ranged from "I'm Jewish" and "I'm Catholic" to "Me?! Are you nuts?! Um, no."

Someone in authority should speak to her and tell her that this is inappropriate.

Someone in authority should speak to her and tell her that this is inappropriate.

Absolutely.

It may just be notional, but it's a notion worth maintaining...Church and State, people. Church ≠ State.

Separate, if for no other reason than you should not have to divulge, defend or even discuss your internal life in the workplace.