AIBU to ask for your most appalling examples of sexism?

[Biscusting]

I've learned over time and with bitter experience my dad is terribly sexist. Every time I see him he has something grim to say that erodes my soul and chips at my confidence.
I won't give examples of his crimes but his father -my grandfather- had several girls and my father was his only son. When my fathers siblings went on to have children of their own, they all had girls (7 in total). My grandparents said practically nothing, but then they rarely seemed to at significant events.
When my younger brother was born, my grandfather went to visit my mum in hospital. He had never visited after any of the births of his other grandchildren and presented my mum with a single red rose, then left.

Cheer me up with some of your tales.

I need a carpet fitting & wanted to use a local guy to support our community but...
his van has "HAVE YOU BEEN GRIPPED FELT AND PROFESSIONALLY LAID" (sic) written in big, bold letters on the back of his van.
I decided not to use him, but made the mistake of telling my male-only work colleagues about it. They said it was a funny pun and I was being unreasonable.
Still.. I don't support casual misogyny

User- that could apply to men or women equally though. There's nothing sexist, unless there's a graphic or something which makes it clear it's aimed at women.

But a man could be "gripped felt and professionally laid" too.

Smutty maybe, but i don't think that would raise my feminist hackles...

I'm a lawyer. I have, most recently, had a client tell me and my secretary that "I'll let you little ladies deal with it". Also (different client) "I hate computers almost as much as I hate women".

When I was around 2 years PQE I was taking will instructions from an elderly gentleman. We went through how the process worked and then he asked when he would get to meet the solicitor. I explained that I was the solicitor and apologised and said he thought that because I was young and a woman, I must be the clerk. To be fair, he was very apologetic and was very embarrassed to have got it wrong. When it was all finished he sent me a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates, which was very sweet of him.

During the run up to our local city council elections our Tory candidate knocked on the door as they usually do and he asked if my husband was home so he could talk about getting his vote

Was also in Asda car park near the bit where there's a car wash and tyre inflators, woman runs up to me and say "excuse me, does your other half know how to inflate tyres, I've somehow just deflated them completely on that machine". I said "I have no idea if he knows or not but I can help you do it". She at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

Cherry was he elected?

During the run up to our local city council elections our Tory candidate knocked on the door as they usually do and he asked if my husband was home so he could talk about getting his vote hmm

Compliment: you look so obviously not-Tory but equally a very independent person so there may well be another adult in the house with very different politics.

My step father on telling him that I wanted to start my own business "but only entrepreneurs can do that". And obviously as a woman I couldn't be an entrepreneur

"Why do you have a man's job?"

The only sexist thing I can think of was actually from a woman. I'm an engineer and we were out on site doing inspections - never had any issue from men at all, always treated fairly and equally - but the woman in the office referred to us (colleague also female!) as 'those two wee lassies'. No...we're not 'those two wee lassies'...we're the two engineers. Stupid woman. But she was older so I guess it's a generational thing, but it was pretty disrespectful.

All the time at work. Plenty of people (from all backgrounds & ages) who can't seem to get their heads round a female doctor....

Have lost count of the number of times I have been called nurse or asked to get my boss (presumed male). It was very amusing in my last job where 4/6 juniors, both registrars and both consultants were female

I've had people take their children out of the nursery I worked in, people asked for me not to be their child's key worker as "I couldn't care for a child as well as a woman", as well as having to put up with the 'men in childcare=paedophile' crap.

Oh that's awful!! My DD's nursery has just employed a male for the first time. When he first started other mum's were all "there's a MAN working there!", talking as if they'd employed a polar bear or something equally as bizarre. He is brilliant with the kids, he's my DD's favourite worker, she'll miss him so much when she leaves in July.

Sean yes he was!! I didn't vote for him though. I mentioned up thread about how I worked for a LA where I was told to stop wearing dresses as the councillors were making comments about my legs. The same bloke was one of them! At a meeting he wanted to ask me a question in the break and he called my name and rubbed the seat next to me and did the "come here" wag with his finger. I didn't go over, and I told my manager that I didn't want to work with him anymore as he made me deeply uncomfortable.

Don't get the bit about the DH being a dustman?

During our house refurbishment we needed a new fire , fire surround chimney work etc . The company representative knocked on the door just as my husband took a phone call . I told the guy that DH would join us shortly as he was one the phone .
Before I had got the front door shut he looked at me and said with a smile ' We don't need him yet do we ? You will chose what you want and he will pay '
He didn't stay long .

Cherry he sounds horrific.

I used to drive a road going monster truck for work which had a slightly different gear configuration from normal vehicles. The number of men who would offer to park it for me as they assumed I would struggle is beyond me. Sometimes for shits and giggles I would let them, then enjoy watching them mess it up and have to admit defeat and have me get back in to park it seamlessly.

I've lost track of the amount of times I've asked the agency who manage the house we live in to only give my number to contractors as the primary contact. Since my dh just texts me to say so and so has called, it gets annoying.

Also just remembered, in the haze of a week old baby I managed not to notice the bank person put my dd's accountin my dh's name as a trustee. We won't be making that mistake this time round

He really was Sean. His wife was also a councillor and she was really lovely and sweet and kind. And came across as very much a feminist! I read in the local paper that she recently passed away God only knows why she put up with him!

Mines not really that bad but luckily the only sexist behaviour I have experienced. In year 11 at my parents evening my French teacher said to both me and my mum that I didn't need to worry about not just French class but any of my academics as I was pretty enough to go far in life without being educated. Btw I'm not ugly but not pretty enough to warrant a comment like that.

Also my H went away a few weeks ago on a business trip, his nan said to me how on earth was I going to cope without a man around the house and that when her husband stayed away she couldn't sleep and stayed at her parents with the kids. I politely reminded her that I lived alone from age 19 untill I met H when I was mid 20s. Paid my own mortgage and everything shock horror

I also had a health visitor ask me what my plans were after having my first son. I said I was going to finish off my degree to which she replied that I should concentrate on raising my ds and not prioritising my hobbies! I made the point that what if I had to go back to work as most women do and she went sheepish! I dont think she realised what she said.

I'm a surveyor and I do have to visit all male workplaces on occasion. Mostly this isn't a problem. but sometimes they can be incredibly sexist. One time I spotted a Page 3 calendar and gave an involuntary look of disgust. Possibly I might have tutted a bit too. One man took offence at that and got quite defensive about his right to look at naked women when he wanted, "it's a free country" etc. Luckily his boss intervened and told him off. I do see those calendars in a few workshops so now I try to make a joke while still showing my disdain.

My NDN of a house I rent out phoned me to ask for a meeting as he wanted info on how 'we' did it ie how much rent, which estate agent.
He suggested my other half ring him back with all the details. I agreed as my other half knows nothing about it as it's my house, not his! 😁

My mother was also very sexist. I had to have a pink bedroom whether I liked it or not. No trousers. Had to wear women's shoes with a heel by the age of about 12. Used to hate it! My brothers could go on playground equipment in their jeans and trainers. I could too but wearing a skirt that showed your knickers and completely unsuitable shoes.

My brother was allowed out to play with his mates around the age of 10/11. I wasn't allowed 'because I was a girl and strange men take girls away'. My brother had to escort me up the very quiet road of our sleepy town when I was 14 so I could visit a friend.

I responded by joining a football team just to really piss her off and being as 'unladylike' (as she put it) as possible, particularly in photos.

Met some of a bf's friends, he had recently bought a motorbike and was riding on L plates, friend asked, "And do you go on the back of his bike?"

Me: nope, but he sometimes goes on the back of mine.

My parents ran a business from home. My mum would often get the, 'can I talk to your manager love?' inquiries, her stock answer was, "I'm sorry there is no manager available but one of the directors is available"

She would then wait in silence for the penny to drop.