You have to laugh...

[TronaldDump]

Maybe it's perimenopause but i'm getting more and more sick of men wanging on about stuff when what women do is overlooked.

My brother did an ultramarathon last month and for months all he did was bang on about his fancy kit list, his Very Important training and how it's the 'ultimate' test of physical and mental endurance. My poor SIL just sat through it all smiling away, when she's the one who grew and gave birth to his 3 bloody babies and was just expected to get on with it all (he's a good dad and generally pulls his weight but you know what I mean).

I feel like men crow on about their achievements but womens are just dismissed all the time, unless they're in 'male' things like sports. I know it's been ever thus but it's giving me the rage right now and I'm not even sure why i'm so triggered.

Should I be taking a breath and letting it all go? Or do other women age feel the same?

Ha! Well said.

Hmm maybe change the idea that sport is a 'male' thing?

I think none of us get credit for things that are seen as normal. Giving birth, earning a living, maintaining, house just routine. An ultra marathon isn't.

You see I find this reply fascinating - youre comparing maintaining a routine to giving birth? I think giving birth is exceptional. I made a whole human being with my body...eyeballs, toenails, brain.. then I spent 22 agonising hours pushing him out of my body. But you think that's the 'routine' and going for a very long walk/run is exceptional? I guess it's all about perspective.

No but it's not exceptional, in that it happens numerous times, all over the world every day.

I don't know the stats but far more people have given birth than have run an ultra.

Maybe - I guess my point is that we see giving birth as unremarkable because women do it every day, not because it isn't hard! If I had a choice tomorrow I'd choose an ultra over giving birth any day - much less chance of dying or serious injury, less painful (and you know you can opt out if it gets too tough) - but somehow it's not celebrated as being an achievement, it's relegated to the same class as 'having a job' or 'doing the housework'.

Sounds like you want a round of applause for being able to have babies to be honest.

Men are usually far more able to do marathons, triathlons and mountain climbing etc etc when they have families because the woman is at home picking up the slack.

An ultra marathon is an incredible achievement and I think warrants a bit of bragging.

Men generally expect to be praised and thanked for stuff like emptying the dishwasher so an ultramarathon must deserve more…….

Not just me - I think we all deserve one!

It's not an achievement to have a baby - it's nature. It's how we survive as a species. Yes, a new life is an incredible, precious thing but it's normal - every primate does it, every mammal does it, birds, fish, insects etc all produce new life, it's just how it is. An ultra marathon isn't normal, a triathlon isn't normal, swimming the channel isn't normal, these things deserve applauding because they are special....

😂