Sexist "banter" in the workplace can be bad for women's health, according to a study.
Research found condescending comments, jokes and other "low-level sexism" to be just as harmful to female staff as being overworked.
A stream of "everyday sexism" can, over time, even be as damaging as an unwanted sexual advance, it is claimed.
Researchers from the University of Melbourne reviewed 88 studies involving more than 70,000 working women. Writing in the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly, they said sexist banter could have "subtle effects with a cumulative impact over time".
Even a mildly sexist office culture meant women faced lower pay and fewer opportunities than their male counterparts, the study said.
