TLDR; "ugly" male coworker befriended me, a "not ugly" female employee. I pursued the friendship because he is great. Other "not ugly" male coworkers had to save a damsel in distress anytime he tried to talk to me. Made me like them less, and him more. Ridiculous behavior.
Had a similar situation. Had a guy that worked in my old office who was overweight, balding, crooked teeth and pretty severe adult acne. He is also a little bit awkward in conversation (like laughs too loud and talks veryquicklyrandomly). I'd bet this is because of how he's been treated? But who knows. We'll call him joe.
Anyway, I also worked with a number of male coworkers who were very attractive. The button up, $86 shirt, works out, smells great, perfect teeth and hair done at a barber every Friday type of men.
And I hate having to say this because it's awkward for me to say like a humble brag but for the story: I am not an unattractive female.
Joe would talk to me sometimes and I found out very quickly that he's actually wicked funny. He's witty and hilarious. He's also very smart, about a large array of topics. He has taught me many things - and not in a patronizing way.
So I began to talk to joe often. Sometimes at length, when there was nothing else to do. I invited him to my fiancé and I's DND group, fiancé likes him too. He is, for all intents and purposes, my friend. He becomes my fiance's friend. I never felt he had ulterior motives or was trying to "get with me" in fact it was the total opposite, he wanted to know what i thought, my opinion, and he wasn't afraid to debate me on topics in a civil manner. Rare to find.
The other dudes in the office would still approach me after joe left (came in early, left early) and harp to me about how I must be soooo annoyed and how he's just trying to date me and how they can get him to stop if I needed them. Joe informed me one of them actually DID have "a talk" with him about speaking to me. But I put an end to that shit.
No one had a problem with any of the other guys talking to me...