DUMB SHIT People say

OneDearFawn · 2026-01-05T21:53:39+00:00

I eat in a local restaurant weekly after work, so I typically go in with no makeup on. I am 35 and suffering with really painful cystic acne. Tried everything, my face is a mess. Anyway, I go in on New Year’s Eve fully made up in makeup. The owners wife turns to me and says, wow, I didn’t even recognise you with makeup on, you look so much better with makeup on. After seeing I was embarassed and me mumbling ahh I suffer with my skin she stands and lists all the things allergy, hormones, everything as though to help. Yet making me feel worse and more of a spectacle. What she was saying is. God you look dog rough when I see you in the week. You should continue to paint your face to hide the offensive marks. I didn’t fucking appreciate it. Not one bit. So got me thinking. What dumb shit have people said to you that ruined your day?

KimberleyClark · 04/03/2026 09:08

WearyAuldWumman · 06/01/2026 00:15

I used to get this a lot. I really pissed me off. (It doesn't happen now that I'm a pensioner, though I'm occasionally asked whether I have grandchildren. It's not meant unkindly, but it hurts.)

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I’m also childfree not by choice. When a new colleague asked me if I had children I just said no, she said “oh, so you opted for the quiet life” while knowing fuck all about me.

Bojosgirl · 04/03/2026 08:12

You'd be really attractive if you lost weight. From a man whose wife resembled one of the vultures from Jungle Book. He'd also sleep with anything with a pulse - providing they weren't fat obviously.

Womaninhouse17 · 03/03/2026 18:22

NormasArse · 21/02/2026 20:57

Dumb means someone who can’t speak. It is now used as an insult for someone thoughtless or stupid, but that is the origin. People used to believe that if someone couldn’t speak, they must be stupid.

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Do we now use 'mute' rather than 'dumb' for people who don't speak?

NormasArse · 21/02/2026 20:57

pinkstripeycat · 05/01/2026 23:45

Ummmm dumb means thick or stupid or thoughtless so OP has used the word correctly.

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Dumb means someone who can’t speak. It is now used as an insult for someone thoughtless or stupid, but that is the origin. People used to believe that if someone couldn’t speak, they must be stupid.

NormasArse · 21/02/2026 19:21

Breadcat24 · 05/01/2026 23:13

@NormasArse Yes! I get we know it is you coming down the corridor- because I am waiting for a double knee replacement

Hope you’re sprinting soon!! xx

NormasArse · 21/02/2026 18:48

OneDearFawn · 05/01/2026 22:50

I hope you got your new hips and walk better than Cindy Crawford on a catwalk to stick the finger up to them

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More Michael than Cindy, but it’s been a blast. I’m up mountains again!! Thank you ☺️.

SomewhatAnnoyed · 12/01/2026 07:07

Waddleduck7 · 06/01/2026 00:18

I was telling a colleague about my horrendous experience of being stuck in a lift. She asked, "Eeh, did you manage to get out?" 😖

lol! Brilliant! She presumably meant how did you get out? But I’d have been tempted to say “No, my body’s still in there actually” and smile at her hauntingly

Stickytoffeetartt · 12/01/2026 06:16

HungreeHipp0 · 08/01/2026 12:38

This one has always puzzled me as I'm not quite sure what the alternative would be.
"Are you going to let her walk naturally"
Said about my DD when she was a baby. I asked what they meant, but they just repeated themselves, so I think my response was that she will walk when she's ready.

Did they mean without using a walker? That's how I'd interpret it 😅

Portugal1987 · 12/01/2026 05:32

Not nearly as severe as yours or others’, but when my baby didn’t sleep for over a year (and neither did I), my manager, despite otherwise being lovely, would ask about sleep and then compare it to her dog keeping her awake at night because he’d take up half the bed

GrandTheftWalrus · 12/01/2026 02:46

I had an eptopic pregnancy and nearly died and yet people still mentioned it

smithsgj · 11/01/2026 17:52

Sweetiedarling7 · 05/01/2026 23:35

Unless you are actually American “Dumb Shit” ruins my day as I hate the sheep like copying of American expressions.

Do Americans actually still use this ableist language?

27TimesAway · 11/01/2026 07:52

GinJeanie · 11/01/2026 07:28

I've remembered another one. My firstborn died when he was a baby. I remember going to a the Christening of a friend's baby a couple of years later. I was obviously fragile and for some reason told my friend's brother that I had two kids and that my first DS had died. His response? "Oh, that's why we've had five - as a sort of insurance!" I'm still completely stumped at who would say that to a grieving parent (who had also experienced fertility difficulties!)

GinJeanie · 11/01/2026 07:28

I've remembered another one. My firstborn died when he was a baby. I remember going to a the Christening of a friend's baby a couple of years later. I was obviously fragile and for some reason told my friend's brother that I had two kids and that my first DS had died. His response? "Oh, that's why we've had five - as a sort of insurance!" I'm still completely stumped at who would say that to a grieving parent (who had also experienced fertility difficulties!)

Beautitul · 11/01/2026 07:21

PurpleSky300 · 10/01/2026 19:45

Once, when I was at uni, I was in the communal laundry area at night and was bending down to put my washing in the drum.

Some girl was sniggering behind me and must have been pointing out the size of my bum or something, but her boyfriend was silent. And then he said something like, "Well, perhaps it's not her best angle" and then left. I like to think he upgraded from that girl!

I bet her bf's eyes shot to your backside, he probably liked it, I have encountered women who start being rude or bully a girl that their crush or boyfriend seemed to fancy.

GinJeanie · 11/01/2026 07:15

I work as a full-time teacher, which is tough when you're in your 50s, are menopausal and have 2 kids still in education. I've mostly not been able to work part-time as my (very hard-working) DH is a middle earner like myself and we both need to bring money in. I'm knackered but feel it's just as much my responsibility as his.
I can't tell you how many times other Mums have said to me, "I could never work full-time!" Why say that?? You do you! 🙄

Blabladebla · 11/01/2026 07:03

When my neighbour asked why my 8 month old wasn't talking yet....

"Is she slow?"

I was too shocked to respond

Blabladebla · 11/01/2026 07:02

When my neighbour asked why my 8 month old wasn't talking yet....

"Is she slow?"

I was too shocked to respond

ChristineKo · 10/01/2026 22:24

I had an intestinal infection and lost 30 lbs, I was so so sick. When I was at the doctor's a nurse said, "I want what you have, I'd love to lose weight" 😑

YelramBob · 10/01/2026 20:00

I took nine months off work for cancer treatment, when I returned I obviously looked different. Many customers, upon seeing me realised what had happened but a few were like 'Oh, why did you get your hair cut short? You looked so much better with long blond hair!' 🙄

I told one guy that I just fancied shaving my head for a laugh 🫠

PurpleSky300 · 10/01/2026 19:45

Once, when I was at uni, I was in the communal laundry area at night and was bending down to put my washing in the drum.

Some girl was sniggering behind me and must have been pointing out the size of my bum or something, but her boyfriend was silent. And then he said something like, "Well, perhaps it's not her best angle" and then left. I like to think he upgraded from that girl!

PurpleSky300 · 10/01/2026 19:39

"You'd be interested in dancing / skiing / skydiving / whatever / when you've got five stone off you"

"You'd be happier with a few stone gone"

And, now I'm on Mounjaro:

"Not much sign of it working yet?".

Just fuck off, don't need to hear this every day.

WashedUpInAustin · 10/01/2026 11:33

Thank you Beautitul I definitely feel better about it now!

Reading through the thread, some of these comments are awful. Especially the baby loss ones

When I was pregnant with my first I was incredibly anxious throughout & my ex was chatting to his friend about me being so worried. He replied 'Well if this one dies then you can just make another one so tell her it's stupid to worry'.

The13thFairy · 10/01/2026 07:05

And the women who've looked at me when I'm not at my best and said, 'Oh, you look exactly how I feel!' It's so malicious but I've never had a snappy comeback ready.

Laurmolonlabe · 09/01/2026 18:35

I worked in the City one morning i wasn't feeling well and didn't get around to my makeup- people were saying I looked terrible all day- I dialled back my make up to practically nothing from then on, if they didn't like the real me it was their loss.

ThatBlackCat · 09/01/2026 16:00

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 00:01

In England, you start school the first September you are 4.
So you could turn 5 any time from 1st September, right up to 31st August and still be in the same year.
People in the next year up could be a single minute older than you. That's just where the cut off is.
So siblings that are less than a year apart (which I think is fairly unusual but happens) can be in the same school year.

This family I know have two boys in year one who are 11 months apart, another boy in year 2 who is just a year older and a boy in reception. The mum had a baby every 11-13 months.

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Or she could have a stepdaughter and daughter the same age. Or two adopted, or one adopted and one her own, both the same age. So it's not an odd question.