Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Accusing women of being men

156 replies

poppyzbrite4 · 13/09/2024 08:47

Brigette Macron has just been awarded compensation after a rumour that she's a man went viral. Michelle Obama has also been accused of being a man as has Jacinda Ahern.

Why are famous women being accused of being men?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brigitte-macron-false-transgender-claims-france-b2611899.html

OP posts:
mbosnz · 13/09/2024 11:00

Because fuckwits abound?

FOJN · 13/09/2024 10:57

It's a way of reminding women to know their place and its predicated on the belief that women value mens approval. In a man's mind the worst thing you can suggest about a woman is that she unfeminine.

Helleofabore · 13/09/2024 10:54

As well as the excellent points raised so far, I also think that for some male people who identify as not being men, those who accuse women of being men do it to also attempt to make their own claim to be women more believable. If they can convince people that these women are male people who identify as women, then that is an another important addition to the transgender community.

Considering they have misused James Barry and other women who had to pretend to be men to have the freedom to do male exclusive work, this isn’t too hard to understand. If it the only people they convince is themselves and other people vulnerable to philosophically led - materially false facts.

Some of those male people, such as India Willoughby, do it because it is supposedly insulting and is retribution for women correctly sexing Willoughby. What those particular attempts do though is make the accuser (often abuser) look very much like they need some intensive mental health support.

sashh · 13/09/2024 10:49

This is not new, Elizabeth I was accused of being a man.

randomchap · 13/09/2024 10:46

Anyotherdude · 13/09/2024 10:40

@randomchap did you never watch the roasting that Spitting Image (original series) gave Maggie Thatcher for being (acting like) a man?

My memory of her on spitting image was hitting everyone with her handbag.

Of course it's many years ago and I may be mistaken

Living in a former pit village in the 80s, I heard many many insults for her, but never accusing her off being a man

DreadPirateRobots · 13/09/2024 10:41

I've seen women accused of being men on here several times for dressing not feminine enough, dressing too feminine, being too tall, not being curvy enough. There was a very unpleasant period where several women just trying to have a S&B thread were hounded and accused of being men.

Anyotherdude · 13/09/2024 10:40

@randomchap did you never watch the roasting that Spitting Image (original series) gave Maggie Thatcher for being (acting like) a man?

Original poster
poppyzbrite4 · 13/09/2024 10:33

Sandwichgen · 13/09/2024 10:29

Re Mrs Thatcher - she was always portrayed on Spitting Image in a men’s suit and tie, with a sort of ‘Godfather’ vibe

Yes! Thatcher was always portrayed as wearing white men's briefs.

OP posts:
Sandwichgen · 13/09/2024 10:29

Re Mrs Thatcher - she was always portrayed on Spitting Image in a men’s suit and tie, with a sort of ‘Godfather’ vibe

Mercurial123 · 13/09/2024 10:14

sunflowersngunpowdr · 13/09/2024 10:06

I think Michelle Obama might be a dude. I really do think Joan rivers might have been killed for exposing that. Stranger things have happened.

This proves my point. I really hope it was a sarcastic comment.

Mercurial123 · 13/09/2024 10:13

Joan Rivers made a joke that Michelle Obama was a man as she was too good-looking. Some morons actually believed it to be true. My old dental hygienist was one of these people (she's from Texas). She was listening to the radio during one visit. Ultra right wing station. Apparently, the CIA means Catholics in Action, lol. There are many stupid people.

sunflowersngunpowdr · 13/09/2024 10:06

I think Michelle Obama might be a dude. I really do think Joan rivers might have been killed for exposing that. Stranger things have happened.

Completelyneutralname · 13/09/2024 09:52

poppyzbrite4 · 13/09/2024 09:45

It's very surprising how often online misogyny is perpetuated by women against other women. Abuse against a famous woman (it might have been Markle, I can't remember) was investigated and the main instigator of the most foul misogynist abuse was actually a woman.

Show quote history

Depressing.

Completelyneutralname · 13/09/2024 09:52

Allthegoodnamesaretaken92 · 13/09/2024 09:45

Because they don’t toe the sweet, demure, decorative, submissive “girl” line.

this how reductive stereotypes have become.

behave “like a man”- as in dare to have brains, marriage isn’t your life goal, don’t spend hours “pampering” and focussing on appearance, be outspoken, you are a man.

At least in the 80’s power suit days we recognised these women for what they were, women capable of doing the same jobs and having the same lifestyle as men, but still being strong women. Equality, not imitation.

Those women were still labelled masculine is my recollection.

Original poster
poppyzbrite4 · 13/09/2024 09:45

Completelyneutralname · 13/09/2024 09:21

Internalised misogyny I guess.

Show quote history

It's very surprising how often online misogyny is perpetuated by women against other women. Abuse against a famous woman (it might have been Markle, I can't remember) was investigated and the main instigator of the most foul misogynist abuse was actually a woman.

OP posts:
Allthegoodnamesaretaken92 · 13/09/2024 09:45

Because they don’t toe the sweet, demure, decorative, submissive “girl” line.

this how reductive stereotypes have become.

behave “like a man”- as in dare to have brains, marriage isn’t your life goal, don’t spend hours “pampering” and focussing on appearance, be outspoken, you are a man.

At least in the 80’s power suit days we recognised these women for what they were, women capable of doing the same jobs and having the same lifestyle as men, but still being strong women. Equality, not imitation.

CheekySwan · 13/09/2024 09:44

Because it takes a woman to do a mans job 😂

Rinoachicken · 13/09/2024 09:43

See also the obsession with Angela Rayners shoes.

Powerful women, it seems, are simply not allowed to be powerful - they must be reduced to what they look like or wear, or else they must be a man.

Its pathetic.

Saturdayblurs · 13/09/2024 09:39

Some people also believe the earth is flat. Some people are idiots.

phoenixrosehere · 13/09/2024 09:38

Such people hate that certain women are more successful than them and the quickest way they can think of to take them down a peg is accuse them of being men.

It then pushes the narrative of what a woman should look like which is typically as culturally stereotypically “feminine” as possible.

OrwellianTimes · 13/09/2024 09:24

Presumably to undermine said woman and knock her confidence/self esteem. How dare a woman be brilliant at something.

Completelyneutralname · 13/09/2024 09:21

poppyzbrite4 · 13/09/2024 08:54

Interestingly the viral video was made by two women who made up a whole backstory about her. I've seen the videos about Michelle Obama and people are pretty convinced she's a man.

Edited
Show quote history

Internalised misogyny I guess.

Completelyneutralname · 13/09/2024 09:20

randomchap · 13/09/2024 09:05

I don't remember anyone accusing Thatcher of being a man so this seems like a new misogynistic angle

I don’t think she as accused of being a man per se but I definitely remember her being called ‘masculine’ as a way of explaining her utter lack of empathy. She wasn’t allowed to just be a successful woman in her own right either. I didn’t like her or her policies but she knew her own mind and was a fierce and determined woman. That had to be explained away (because women were supposed to be sweet and docile) and so she was labelled ‘masculine’.

randomchap · 13/09/2024 09:05

I don't remember anyone accusing Thatcher of being a man so this seems like a new misogynistic angle