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Original poster

Are there any companies who treat women as the default human?

65 replies

Orangio · 02/12/2022 10:55

So I was on the lookout for a new waterproof, and I googled 'Montane Garwhal' (random waterproof where Garwhal is a model name for both men and women, but I'm sure you can replace with any other brand). All the results on Google images and shopping were of the men's model. To get women's jackets I had to search 'Montane Garwhal Women's'.

We all know that men are the default human 🙄 But I've just been thinking about this a bit. Is it JUST the naming of the products that's at fault? So men's products are called eg "XXX Trainers" and the women's version is called "XXX Trainers Women's", but both pairs of trainers are actually designed from scratch to fit male/female feet and needs? Or is the entire design process aimed at men, so they design a pair of trainers for men and then just make them a bit smaller and change the colour and call them women's trainers?

I realise nobody can answer this for all products everywhere! But I wondered if this male default was very pervasive at the design stage generally.

Are there any companies which design products for women and then adapt them for men?! And call them "XXX Trainers" and "XXX Trainers Men's"?

OP posts:
Shortpoet · 02/12/2022 11:00

We’ll there’s Kleenex tissues and Kleenex Mansize.

Is that the kind of thing you mean?

Original poster
Orangio · 02/12/2022 15:47

Haha 😆 No not really!
I mean does a company ever decide to design a waterproof jacket, for example, and start by designing it for women. They call this jacket the Snuggly 10. Then they adapt the cut of the jacket and the colour for men, and call this version the Snuggly 10 Men's. Does it ever happen that way round?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 02/12/2022 15:56

Bras?

If you're old enough to remember Seinfeld, I think it was George and his dad tried to design the 'man-siere' after George caught a glimpse of his DFs man-boobs.

But apart from that, probably very little, even sanitary towels shy away from saying they're for women these days.

But clothes is a good one, because many items, especially safety/workwear, markets itself as 'unisex' even though there has been no attempt whatsoever to adjust the cut to fit women.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General shopping General style & beauty
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/12/2022 15:58

I notice this in the news.

Male motorcyclist crashes into a lamppost "motorcyclist crashes into lamppost"

Female is "woman motorcyclist crashes into lamppost"

Dontaskdontget · 02/12/2022 16:02

I suspect the problem is with customers. Women will buy a “man’s jacket” no problem, but men won’t buy a “ladies’ jacket”.

So companies advertise unisex products solely to men, knowing that both their markets are covered. They don’t include photos of women with the product because then men won’t buy it.

DH has never even read a book written by a woman because “that’s a girl’s book”. Drives me crazy.

Dontaskdontget · 02/12/2022 16:04

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/12/2022 15:58

I notice this in the news.

Male motorcyclist crashes into a lamppost "motorcyclist crashes into lamppost"

Female is "woman motorcyclist crashes into lamppost"

Ah yes, this. I babysat a kid the other day who when playing with two toys said “Here’s the doctor, and here’s the lady doctor.” Kid was 3. ☹️

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/12/2022 16:10

Dontaskdontget · 02/12/2022 16:02

I suspect the problem is with customers. Women will buy a “man’s jacket” no problem, but men won’t buy a “ladies’ jacket”.

So companies advertise unisex products solely to men, knowing that both their markets are covered. They don’t include photos of women with the product because then men won’t buy it.

DH has never even read a book written by a woman because “that’s a girl’s book”. Drives me crazy.

This is true.

However it’s also that as OP says men are the default human, so rucksacks, cars, medicines, office heating systems all get tested on them first.

I am still amazed at women who work on railway stations having to wear what are clearly trousers and shirts cut for men.

I can only think of male skincare as an exception product. The Horror.

HideTheCroissants · 02/12/2022 16:52

Açai outdoor clothing is designed only for women….

ErrolTheDragon · 02/12/2022 16:57

The only one I can think of is Tena pads.Hmm

Onnabugeisha · 02/12/2022 16:59

All yoga clothing and accessories are first designed for women.

Mezmer · 02/12/2022 17:02

Most do when it comes to choosing advertising models. Especially under 22 pretty ones who are the default for selling everything from lottery tickets to car cleaning products.

Original poster
Orangio · 02/12/2022 17:15

I knew someone would think of one - skincare!
"Sure" deodorant is for women
"Sure for Men" is for men!

So, deodorant was made for women and adapted for men because women wanted to smell nice first! 😆

PP is right about the news/motorcyclist point too. The default human = man is everywhere sadly.

OP posts:
Original poster
Orangio · 02/12/2022 17:18

Yoga clothing is also a good one.
Not sure bras and tena pads etc count, because they haven't really been adapted for men? Unless you do get Tena for Men? If so, wahay! Deodorant, yoga clothing, and bladder leakage pads. Awesome.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 02/12/2022 17:22

Pretty sure the Tena men will have been adapted, I assume blokes need more absorbency at the front (never had call to look in detail at this product just noticed it on the shelves in boots once)

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 02/12/2022 17:23

I would go further and say that the default human is a white, right-handed man. Just because one or more of those characteristics are irrelevant to a particular product it doesn't mean that it wasn't designed by and for white, right-handed men.

Athenen0ctua · 02/12/2022 17:23

Turtledoves. I'm sure I've seen men's ones now. Though the normal ones would fit men with women's sized wrists.

Athenen0ctua · 02/12/2022 17:27

I wear lot of men's clothing as it fits me better. There are a lot more women with 'boyish' figures than pear shaped men, which is the shape most women's clothing seems to be cut for. So I think men's clothing is more unisex than women's.

hugznotdrugz · 02/12/2022 17:28

You do get tena for men

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/12/2022 17:28

If you're old enough to remember Seinfeld, I think it was George and his dad tried to design the 'man-siere' after George caught a glimpse of his DFs man-boobs.

Surely the 'bro-siere' would have been much better? Grin

The little kid with the doctors is very sad. I'm reminded of that dinosaur-old riddle about the surgeon who exclaims that the patient rushed through to the theatre is 'my son' and you're invited to be baffled as to how that could possibly be true, as you've already been told that the boy's father was killed in the accident that left the lad seriously injured.

tulips27 · 02/12/2022 17:28

I have noticed the exact same thing too! Search for "bike" on Ebay and it takes you to that weird results format, you know the one that's not like normal Ebay. When you then click on "hybrid bikes" it takes you to "men's hybrid bikes". 🙄

And I could list about twenty more examples.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/12/2022 17:31

Depressingly, washing-up gloves seem to be designed with women in mind - they sell Marigolds in three sizes, S/M/L, with the 'large' ones being quite a snug fit for most men, should they ever possibly need to use them.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/12/2022 17:33

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/12/2022 17:31

Depressingly, washing-up gloves seem to be designed with women in mind - they sell Marigolds in three sizes, S/M/L, with the 'large' ones being quite a snug fit for most men, should they ever possibly need to use them.

Whereas tough gardening or diy gloves can be quite hard to find in a size suitable for my hands. In that case it's more that places don't stock the small sizes though.

tulips27 · 02/12/2022 17:36

Sorry, I just tried to replicate my Ebay search which I was also thinking of making a thread about and it seems they've chanced the way the search works. But it was that way until a few weeks ago!

Also, in any case, "bikes" are usually just "bikes" and not "men's bikes" but "women's bikes" are just that, or the slightly cringey "ladies' bike".

tulips27 · 02/12/2022 17:37

*changed

barskits · 02/12/2022 17:38

Haha - I've just searched for 'driving gloves'. Hundreds of pairs, all men's sizes.

I've just Googled 'walking boots' and all the top hits are men's boots. It is only further down that you start to see women's ones. Likewise if you search on 'trainers', likewise 'jacket', 'coat' (where at least you get a couple of kids' ones) and several other things as well.

I agree with you OP.