must have been invented by a man

[Lottle]

AIBU to hate this phrase?

It wouldn't be acceptable to say "must have been invented by a woman" or "a [choose a different race to your own] person"

I'm sure lots of good stuff has been invented by men.

YABU we live in a male dominated society.

Anyhow, women driver's anyone?

Men did invent the toilet I believe, glad of that

@chickenyhead

YABU we live in a male dominated society.

Anyhow, women driver's anyone?

Why does living in such a society make it ok? Would it be ok for a poor invention to be described as eyeroll "oh must have been invented by a white person!"

I don't know. I don't think so. Just a little niggle though.

The phrase “ must have been invented by a man” is usually used when something has been designed with no regards for physical differences between woman and men eg something that’s difficult to fold if you don’t have a wide wingspan between your two hands. So a YABU. It simply means it doesn’t appear to have been designed round a woman’s needs.

@LouiseTrees

The phrase “ must have been invented by a man” is usually used when something has been designed with no regards for physical differences between woman and men eg something that’s difficult to fold if you don’t have a wide wingspan between your two hands. So a YABU. It simply means it doesn’t appear to have been designed round a woman’s needs.

That does absolutely make sense and yes that would be fine. The contexts I've seen others use it in are much more like - this is rubbish - must have been designed by a man!

YADBU

www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1113605/invisible-women/9781784706289.html

I think your friends are just using the phrase wrong.

@Boom45

I think your friends are just using the phrase wrong.

I'm thinking that too!

I actually agree with you, fighting sexism with sexism isn't helping anything. Like fighting racism with racism doesn't help either. People argue for equality, but then think it's OK to turn the tables. That's not equality. However, I think you will get blazed on here, good luck!

The contraceptive pill having the week break for you to have a period was because the pill was invented by men and they thought women would want to have a period.

I only use it for objects/devices that are difficult /awkward/painful to use for women, not designed for their bodies, or completely pointless- in a what a man thinks a woman needs or should use kind of sense . Like those stupid fake pockets.

I've only ever heard it used in the context of things used more often or solely by women but not designed well. And it is true! Many years ago architect student friend of mine was once designing a kitchen and believed it should be primarily for aesthetics and functionality should come second. I told him he was an idiot and that functionality needed to come first and aesthetics second. Unsurprisingly he still lived at home and the only time he did dishes, prepared food etc was for himself, not for the whole family. It's this type of thing that I see a lot. I mean, what idiot decided that sanitary pads should be fragranced? Not a woman, that's for sure!!!

@BalloonSlayer

The contraceptive pill having the week break for you to have a period was because the pill was invented by men and they thought women would want to have a period.

omg

IABU

It has its uses! Like my bloody phone was probably invented by a man because the screen is too big for my tiny lady fingers to reach it all

The contexts I've seen others use it in are much more like - this is rubbish - must have been designed by a man!
I've never ever heard it like that, so I think this is more an issue of people you know getting it wrong! Generally it's used when describing something that has far greater benefit to men than women, or doesn't even take women into account.

I always think this when wearing a seatbelt.

@LouiseTrees

The phrase “ must have been invented by a man” is usually used when something has been designed with no regards for physical differences between woman and men eg something that’s difficult to fold if you don’t have a wide wingspan between your two hands. So a YABU. It simply means it doesn’t appear to have been designed round a woman’s needs.

Yes this is exactly how I've always heard it used - for something that is disproportionately awkward for women who have different physiological and lifestyle needs.

I'm thinking of stuff like an iPhone that makes your hand ache because your hand isn't big enough to reach across the keyboard with your thumb, or a stiff heavy door you really struggle to hold open with one hand while trying to push a buggy though, or a public toilet cubicle that has no room for a sanitary bin.

Or basically anything mentioned in Invisible Women!

Glad I could be of service!

I just came on to recommend Invisible Women but can see that people have beaten me to it!

Would it be ok for a poor invention to be described as eyeroll "oh must have been invented by a white person!"

Image recognition software often doesn't recognise black or asian or female faces because it is designed by white men. Linky.

[quote QueenArseClangers]www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1113605/invisible-women/9781784706289.html[/quote]
I read the OP and about three replies before I started thinking "must find the link for invisible women"

“Designed by a man” is a fairly common phrase from me. I look at a lot of building designs and am never surprised when the logistics of how a building is going to be used seem never to occur to them. Never enough sockets in the hall of a house, hotel rooms with no usb point or socket next to the bed. My favourite was a well known department store’s new layout had the kids’ disabled changing room at the back of the gents’ changing room. Anecdata it may be, but in my experience there are fewer issues like these when I am dealing with female architects - albeit, I deal with so few of them, it doesn’t happen often. That said, just like everything else, there is never one rule that fits all.

I expect what you are really trying to say here is, berating something that men generally do is as bad as making a racist comment about an entire group. That’s clearly bullshit.

I had heard that story about the contraceptive pill @BalloonSlayer but I thought it was that the inventor of the pill was Catholic and wanted to get the Pope to agree to it as it would mimic a woman's cycle but when the Pope of the day didn't get behind it, he stopped being a practicing Catholic:
www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/the-contraceptive-pill-is-the-one-week-break-a-relic-of-the-past-1.4066053

I have always thought that on desktop pc's whoever thought that putting the open/close button on CD-Rom trays under the tray so that when it was open it was harder to access was a bit dim. Don't know if it was a man or a woman though.

@MintyMabel but don't men use usb sockets in hotel rooms as much as women?