"Micro" acts of every day sexism...

@AngelTrain totally agree. I go to conferences for women where at least 50 % of the topics are about balancing work and childcare. It pisses me off no end
A) not all women have children
B) it implies it's a woman's issue to deal with

Unsure about what..?

I have read every single response on this thread, and am still unsure.

I do have a non-gender-specific title (the clue is in the username). However, I very rarely use it because it seems wanky.

I do all the man stuff. I can do plumbing and electricity as XH did this stuff and I learnt it all from him. I fixed my boiler this morning. I can renovate houses. This week, I drove a Luton hire van (ok, so some would counter that this is not a big deal - but it was a fucking big deal to me. I'm a tiny person who normally drives a Fiat 500. But no man was available to bail me out).

This same week, someone I know well shifted some stuff for me because it was very heavy and needed two very strong people. In the process (it was a tight space), he accidentally put his hand on my bottom.

He said: "OMG, I touched your bottom". I said: "fuck off, there's only one person who can touch my bottom, and it's not you, matey". We had a laugh (he knows DP very well) and moved on.

I suppose I think it's all banter and makes the world go round. I would sooner cut off all my limbs than let any man other than DP near me, but in the context of getting stuff done, I'll go with it.

I just wouldn't lose any sleep over any of this stuff. If it helps you get stuff done and it helps the world go around, I'd just go with it.

My only objection (now not relevant due to my children's advanced years) is to girls' school shoes. They are evidently only intended for appearance, rather than functionality. My daughter (with big brothers) could shred a pair of Start Rites in three weeks when she was little, just because she Did Stuff like climb trees, play football, slide in mud etc. Whereas the boys' shoes (even the Clarks ones) were generally built to withstand Doing Stuff. That used to piss me off.

For me it's all work/children ones. And so hard to challenge because people are usually so well-meaning.

"Will you be returning to work part time after mat leave?" (I was asked repeatedly, husband was never asked).

"A long hours culture is a problem for working mothers" (because childcare is obviously only a woman's responsibility?)

"If we want more women in senior positions we need more jobshare/part time opportunities" (oh right, because that's how men got to the top. Flexible working.)

"We need more subsidised childcare to get women back into the workplace" (there are only two options of course: woman is SAHM or woman uses paid childcare. Because, as above, women are solely responsible for childcare.)

Yeah, my socks are thicker than DHs and last at least 5 years, his last maybe 1 and are much thinner.
But you can get thinner women's socks and thicker men's ones, so I'm not convinced on that one.

I'm not sure about the socks tbh. Mine last for years but DH's are falling apart after about 6 months and have to be replaced. I bought him some really thick ones in Next last week but they were more expensive than the normal ones he gets which are the same fabric as mine.

Ooh. Another! We are buying a house. First time buyers. I am the one buying. I have collected 100% of the deposit, I will pay 100% of the mortgage payments. The house will be in my name.

Every single EA directs their conversation to my DP and the follow up emails begging us to buy are to him.

Haven't been able to find a decent smartphone that fits in my hand for about 3 years now.

Men's clothes are cheaper, better quality and have better pockets.

@Hoppinggreen I love that story

But why are men's socks, bought from the same ship, thicker and warmer than women's socks? Is there only so much wool/cotton/etc our dainty feet can manage to carry?

I've bought myself mens slippers because they actually stay dry if you step outside the house in them for a few minutes

@nakedavengeragain
I love them - would definitely recommend.
I don't think there is a difference between men's and women's apart from the size ranges.
And colours, sometimes.
I don't like the brightly coloured ones anyway. DH had to get some bright blue ones because more muted colours weren't available. In women's sizes they would probably have been pale purple.
But if I can get black, I always will. And both men and women's sizes come in black.

Not sure if this counts...

But why are men's socks, bought from the same ship, thicker and warmer than women's socks? Is there only so much wool/cotton/etc our dainty feet can manage to carry?

Should add these were all male-female couples, I never personally encountered any same-sex couples in this situation, so anecdotal.

I used to help host meetings and a couple would attend, say, Mr Soandso and Dr Thingymajib and sign in as such. The subsequent letter summarising the meeting would say 'Mr and Mrs Soandso'.... or where they did use the same surname, the Dr title would be given to the man (ie first). It also used to irk me that we had to write one letter to two people (supposung it was withheld) but Budget Constraints.

The bank ones are relatable. At my work we’ve received pronoun and title training (Mx, Pr etc) but a good proportion of the staff still automatically correct Ms to Mrs when they see the customer has a husband. Drives me mad. I correct it when I see it.

@TheShoesa I've been to the Enterprise Centre at Derby Uni and the ladies loos are further down past the coffee shop on the ground floor

@deydododatdodontdeydo thank you! Just looked at those! Recommended?! I lean towards a barefoot style.

What's the difference between men's and women's sizes anyway? Isn't a 6 a 6?

I've noticed that when election mail comes through it's often addressed to DH and DS, even though I am listed above DS on the firm I filled out for the electoral roll.
I file it straight in the bin.

I used to work in a school where female teachers were called Ma'am, which seems to have different connotations to madam, even though it's essentially the same thing.

Yes ‘madam’ has a lot of negativity like when little girls are told they’re being a ‘right little madam’... there’s not really a male equivalent to this is there?

In my local Caffè Nero the other day I got called ‘la signora’ which I quite liked.

Yes that's a good point, I don't really like being called Madam either!

Whilst typing this I have noticed that my phone automatically capitalizes Male but not female. Weird!

Mine too, although it seems to be doing it less now - maybe it’s noticed that I always change it back. That got discussed on another thread recently. Apparently male with a capital M is a place. Mark is a name though & I don’t see my phone automatically capitalising that...

Students call male teachers "sir" whilst females techers are called "miss". Surely it should be "madam" to be equal to sir? Or male teachers should be called "Mr".

Agreed in principle - though, in practice, I bloody hate "madam". It has connotations of "matronly", "bossy" and "unpleasant" to me.

... which, of course, is an issue in its own right!

Students call male teachers "sir" whilst females techers are called "miss". Surely it should be "madam" to be equal to sir? Or male teachers should be called "Mr".

Whilst typing this I have noticed that my phone automatically capitalizes Male but not female. Weird!