It’s no secret that the everyday lives of men and women are different in society. Sometimes, this happens in negative ways, such as a woman being unable to break through the glass ceiling.
A woman can also feel the effects of sexism in other, smaller ways that would be considered “normal” everyday life.
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On Reddit, u/Unfair_Quantity1413 asked women, “What are some things that are normal to women but mind-blowing to men?” Their answers are sad and shocking.
Period pain is difficult to manage
“Walking around acting normal while you’re bleeding, fatigued, cramping, and more. If someone experienced those symptoms because of anything else, they’d be on sick leave or at least communicating to people how they’re unwell.” – u/GirlisNo1
Girls know periods are exhausting to handle!
Worrying about safety at night
“Questioning whether or not we could run away to safety in the footwear we’re buying, and using that answer to factor into our decision.” – u/Shadow_Integration
Worrying about your safety, especially at night, can be mentally draining when you have to factor it into your everyday decisions.
Not being taken seriously as a customer
“I’m more likely to get pushback when I ask a customer-facing person for anything. Bring in a tall, decent-looking guy, and suddenly, there are zero arguments.” – u/SimilarOrdinary
Sometimes, it can be frustrating when you can’t get someone to listen to you; unfortunately, it happens to many women.
Giving birth can drastically change the body
“Men can say, ‘I want a baby’ or ‘Let’s try for a baby’ and only have to orgasm for that to happen. His partner will then carry the weight of a growing fetus in her uterus, which is painful, scary, and uncomfortable and can have permanent effects on your health and body.” – u/acid-cats
God bless our mothers for handling all of it!
Getting dismissed by medical professionals
“Going to the doctor for a legitimate problem only to be treated as dramatic, lying, attention-seeking, depressed, or overweight, and then outright dismissed because you are female and not getting the help you need.” – u/LikeTotallyZero
Medical problems can sometimes fly under the radar for many women because of dismissal.
Taking precautions at parking lots
“Not parking next to a van, especially one with sliding doors. I drove away from a perfectly fine space close to the shop entrance, to one that was walking distance away at the other side of the car park.” – u/Accomplished-Eye-718
Unfortunately, many women stay clear of vans in case danger lies within them.
Sharing locations with friends
“Women and their girlfriends having to track each other on apps after nights out, at the gym, or almost any activity in public just to make sure they all get home OK.” – u/km6669
Many women feel safer sharing their location with friends who will ensure they get home safely.
Having to be extra careful on first dates
“Women have to approach every first date as a potentially life-threatening event and go in with a variety of exit and self-defense strategies in case things go sideways.” – u/PrairieGrrl5263
Many women feel the need to approach first encounters with men with utmost care for the sake of their safety.
Being catcalled on a regular basis
“Regularly getting catcalled. Yeah sure, you might think it’s completely innocent but more often it’s degrading and makes women feel uncomfortable.” – u/NaturalDisaster2582
Catcalls are a type of harassment that many women have to face on the streets regularly.
Sharing locations on ordered rides
“Sharing Uber rides is another one. I once had a driver bungle the instructions and go a weird way to get me home. I had location share turned on with my friend out of habit and she called me to ask why I was on such an unusual route.” – u/CenterofChaos
Women have to look out for each other’s safety when alone with a man they don’t know.
