Do people in general still make assumptions about men and women and their roles?

[hugeginglass]

I have an example - my son worked in a legal office answering the phones. He did this for a summer to cover for holidays. Most of the telephonists were women. At least twice or three times a day he was asked if he was a solicitor - none of the women were ever asked this. Now he works as an estate agent and people of a certain age - especially the more elderly clients seem to believe what he says (even though he is a rookie) more than the word of a woman who has been doing the job for 30 years. I still think certain assumptions are made about women in the workplace that it is a wee part time job (and in some cases it is). However, by the same token for many women it is a career. What are your thoughts? I have had the same by the way - I say something to a client and then they want to talk to my male boss and he tells them the exact same thing!

Mrs schadenfruede, that only works if they haven't developed an obsession for your boobs

Rosemary Franklin worked on the DNA research but was omitted from the Nobel prize, apparently it can't be awarded to three people so the two men got it, Crick and Watson.

Apparently it's only a "non-existent problem" if you're not like the other girls, eh?

@midgebabe I’ve no difficulty with lifting someone’s chin if they are talking to my tits and saying “My face is up here, actually.” And on one occasion, when I was much younger, I grabbed the offender by his ears (he was making comments like, ooh you don’t get many of those to the pound and, are they as perky without your bra? I think you should let me find out) and pushed his face into my chest, saying “Have a closer look, why don’t you?” He left very quickly at that point.

Yes-and I agree it is getting worse. In my manger role I am often asked for the ‘real’ manger. I am the the real manger! This is depicted by my lanyard and the fact my team wear a uniform and I am in office wear. This is always accompanied by a supprise ‘oh’ and sometimes a ‘good for you’, or my favourite advice on how I could do my job better. My make and not great assistant manager gets none of this.I could understand if I was young but I am very obviously old. I laugh at the stupidity now, esp in the case it was assumed a very young, and young looking work experience lad on his first day-but was smartly dressed was assumed to be the manager by a customer who did not like what I was telling them. It was pretty obvious he had no idea what was going on but he has a penis so must be in charge!

@Crimeismymiddlename

Yes-and I agree it is getting worse. In my manger role I am often asked for the ‘real’ manger. I am the the real manger! This is depicted by my lanyard and the fact my team wear a uniform and I am in office wear. This is always accompanied by a supprise ‘oh’ and sometimes a ‘good for you’, or my favourite advice on how I could do my job better. My make and not great assistant manager gets none of this.I could understand if I was young but I am very obviously old. I laugh at the stupidity now, esp in the case it was assumed a very young, and young looking work experience lad on his first day-but was smartly dressed was assumed to be the manager by a customer who did not like what I was telling them. It was pretty obvious he had no idea what was going on but he has a penis so must be in charge!

Sorry-spellings!

My mum still gets annoyed that me and sil don't automatically have tea on the table

Mine too. She also tells people we aren't really married and that i think I'm "above" my husband because I didnt change my surname to his.

It is definitely becoming worse.

I am a wuss I know!

I'm a professional gardener and I needed a new petrol leaf blower. I went to an agricultural store to get one and was completely ignored by the 2 male staff. Getting sick of standing around while each male customer who came in after me was asked if they needed help straight away I approached the desk and told them exactly what make and model I needed. They were very surprised and didn't seem to know how to react. It was ridiculous.

I'm a professional gardener and I needed a new petrol leaf blower. I went to an agricultural store to get one and was completely ignored by the 2 male staff

Going into PC WOrld to look for a new computer everything was directed at OH who was not tech savvy, I let them dig deeper and deeper holes and went off to look at something pink. The poor assistant looked totally at a loss until OH put him right but if we ever went into the store again the staff seemed to disappear when they saw him.

I once had a father who refused to have his son in my top set class, it was against their religion to take instructions from a woman! The thing that really annoyed me was that the Senior Staff took him seriously and looked for ways to accommodate his prejudice by having me teach the set 2 and a suitable teacher would take set 1.

I've heard of similar problems happening in primary too. It's not of course PC, but the enablement and legitimation of certain cultures and their attitudes in the UK is a serious problem for women. Not only are they directly sexist, but their views are influencing people here in the same direction - and as we can see from this thread, it's never taken much for misogyny to show. It's only going to get worse with the covid economic issues.

@CushionsandCandles

I'm a Consultant and do lots of ward rounds with junior doctors To every patient I will say "Hello I'm Dr CandC the Consultant looking after you" If I have male junior doctors with me I'll still be called "nurse" and the patient will inevitably look to them for an opinion. It's a daily thing!

Absolutely sexism, and I agree with other posters that it seems to be getting worse not better currently,

But... can I suggest, that when you introduce yourself as the consultant, instead of saying '...Consultant looking after you.', you say '...Consultant in charge of your case.', or similar?

I think people hear 'looking after you' and sort of blank the rest, and, with a dollop of appallingly sexist woman = nurse, associate looking after with general care rather than what you mean.

It's really a very odd thing, more women not being surgeons when you think about it, as women tend to have much smaller hands. I think I would feel safer with someone with small hands tinkering about in my innards!

You’re probably not. They probably make all the instruments for bigger sized hands and the female surgeon is at a disadvantage . (Disclaimer - I know nothing about surgery)