I am a 28-year-old office worker with several years of experience. I am loyal to my job, having stayed with the same company since graduation. My previous boss valued my skills and promoted me to the assistant role, overseeing contracts and deals.

Everything was going smoothly until the company decided to replace our boss. Our old supervisor was transferred to open a new office, and in came a new, young, and trendy boss in his early thirties. On his first day, the new boss made it clear he wasn’t happy with our assistant group. He believed that assistants responsible for signing contracts needed to be young, beautiful, fashionable, and attractive, while our team, according to him, lacked those qualities.

The new boss decided to overhaul the assistant team, transferring most of the staff to other departments and hiring new, younger and more attractive women to take their places. I was the only one left in the group, primarily due to my involvement in several major projects. But soon, I became the target of his criticism.

Initially, the new boss subtly suggested that I pay attention to my weight to wear shorter skirts and dress more attractively instead of wearing rigid office attire. However, his remarks quickly escalated, becoming blunt and insulting. He criticized me for being overweight, saying that at my age, I should be thinner, and even commenting that my clothes were too tight. He would sometimes stare at me and say hurtful things like, “You look like a ham hock,” or make comments about my body inappropriately. One time, he even slapped my behind and made a crude remark about needing two plane tickets due to my large size.

These comments were so hurtful that I often found myself on the verge of tears. My previous boss had always evaluated me based on my skills and performance, and I had consistently brought valuable contracts to the company. I was not unaware of my appearance and had tried dieting, but I’ve recently discovered I have thyroid issues, which made it even harder for me to lose weight. I didn’t want to bring attention to my illness because I didn’t want to be pitied.

Going to work, once something I enjoyed, had become a nightmare. I had to shrink away from my boss to avoid becoming the subject of his cruel comments. He often made remarks like, “Did you go to a feast last night?” Many times, I considered quitting my job and finding a new place, but I felt trapped by my long-term loyalty to the company.

Sadly, many of my colleagues faced similar treatment. If they were too thin, the boss would insult their appearance, calling them “skinny sticks” or “flat-chested.” Those who were overweight were mocked, just like me. Since I worked directly with the boss daily, I was subjected to his insults more frequently.

Recently, my boss started pushing me out of important projects, including some I had been involved with for a long time, just because I was not “attractive enough” to close deals. He handed over the responsibility to younger, prettier staff members, believing that their looks would help win over clients. I had worked closely with these clients and knew this approach wouldn’t work, so I offered my suggestions, but he ignored them. Eventually, many projects were lost due to his poor management, which, as someone involved in these deals, was painful to witness.

While I had no personal satisfaction from seeing these projects slip away, I was devastated by the toxic work environment. One day, I met my old boss and shared everything I had been going through. He listened carefully and then said something that made me think: “You can report him for body shaming, it’s a form of workplace sexual harassment. His behavior is harming the company’s interests too. If the company finds out that these lost deals were because of his approach, he’ll be penalized.”

He offered me a position in his new office and encouraged me to speak up, even offering to support me. I’m angry at my current boss, but I don’t want to leave. I’m hesitant to report him to upper management because I don’t know if they will take me seriously. I’m conflicted, unsure if I should confront my boss directly or choose to report him to HR.

I’m really torn. Should I have the courage to report him, or should I just quietly leave? I would appreciate any advice on how to navigate this difficult situation.