I so hate it when people gossip. I hate it even more when I get sucked into it by proximity. I think the most amazing thing is that the people who do it are so damn oblivious to how much I hate it and how they're EXACTLY the same as the people they gossip about. I mean come on. I never shut up EXCEPT when you start gossiping around me and then I jump on the first opportunity to get out of the conversation. Pay attention people.
Seriously, when I hear it or get stuck listening to it, I get the physical sensation of being kicked in the stomach. ugh. And never fear ladies, I work with a bunch of men and we ain't go nothing on them. Men are vicious, and I mean vicious. Seriously though, I have absolutely no idea how to stop someone from gossiping to me. I mean, if it's someone I don't know and love, I can just excuse myself. But in the real world, my friends gossip and I can't just go all self-righteous on them and starting belittling them (I guess I could, but I wouldn't have too many friends then). So I listen, all the while looking for a point where I can change the course of the conversation so I don't have to listen anymore!
Increase this discomfort exponentially for vaguely racist conversations (oh, the swine flu has opened my eyes to a lot around here), political conversations where I'm the only democrat, and conversations about the role of women in the world (between other women!?!?!?). Sometimes, I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin. Send some comment love my way on tactful ways to get out of these situations because I'm at a loss, and I've decided that a great big FU really isn't appropriate - ever!