To feel sad over DM's response to this

[ginplease8383]

My DM, widowed around 18 months ago is in a new relationship. She's in her late 50s but I'd hope that wasn't relevant and that there were women in their 50s who didn't think like this.

My DH was ribbing me about my driving (I've damaged my car with branches driving down country lanes) and commented that he believed there was a study that proved in the whole, women have less spatial ability than men (no idea whether this is true or not- it was met with an eye roll and a sarky comeback).

DM pipes up and says "women don't need spatial awareness as we cuddle our husbands". I was a bit taken back but didn't say anything as DM has form for being v defensive and storming out if she's challenged on anything.

AIBU in feeling very sad about mum's response to this and I can't quite articulate why as it's on so many levels!!!

I'm a similar age to your DM. It would have been a sarcastic comment from me. Are you sure it wasn't?

Utterly bizarre. I would have eye rolled at her lol

The bottom line is this: Your mum does not have to think the way you do.
Her thoughts grow out of the culture into which she was socialised and which was around her during her lifetime. She's a bit younger than me. 'Political correctness' didn't come over the horizon until we'd been adult for a while. The few of our generation who weren't influenced by feminism just missed it, and you can't force them to take it on board. OP, your mum wants to be looked after by a big, strong man who will do the driving and make her feel cosseted. You wouldn't be comfortable with that but she is. That's all there is to it. She's not a bad woman, she's just happy to be the way she was told things would be.