Is this the definition of misogyny

[JuniperJungl]

I am waiting to be seen for a 36 week maternity appointment. Outside the birth centre in the waiting area there are only three seats, all bolted to the floor so can't be moved.

I stood up to ring the bell as had been waiting for ages and a man who had dropped his wife off earlier has arrived back with a primary school age child both coughing and spluttering like mad and have taken two of the three seats. I have moved away from them as they are visibly unwell and am now crouching on the floor.

He said there is a seat available so I should take it, I said I'm trying to stay away from coughs.

Cannot see any reason why this would be considered misogyny. Rude, possibly, but not misogyny.

This time next year OP, you will likely have a young child with a cough and there will be no option but to take them with you. Come back and tell us how you get on.

Personally I'd find it a bit ridiculous that a pregnant woman would crouch down feeling faint rather than just sit on the available chair, as you'll have been exposed to the cough from the minute you entered the room - crouching down a couple of feet away will make next to no difference, apart from being hugely performative to other people in the room.

So you are saying that as you were not prioritized for the seating choice, that makes the man a misogynist?

Some men just can't do a thing right can they.

I already have a child with a cough at home thanks. My husband is at home with her not taking up seats and spreading germs in a maternity waiting room.

The comfort of the heavily pregnant woman was easily solvable by using the available seat.

Your nervousness around catching a cold doesn’t mean he and his child should have to move away.

So you cant consider a scenario where another woman might not be able to do that?

If you've already got the cough in your household, why not just sit on the chair.

No, it's not misogyny it's terrible planning by the hospital and a little rude of the visitors not to stand up and move away.

But surely you'd be more comfortable sitting on the edge of the seat and turning your back to them, rather than crouching on the floor??

Are you staying away from your daughter so as not to catch her cough?

Or naice (shudders)

Just to echo everyone else.....It's not misogyny.

I presume this is in the UK? We live in France and everyone has to wear a mask in the hospital. While the man was very rude I would say take some masks out with you, OP, for a bit of protection on public transport, in crowded shops, and in situations like this one.

He was rude and thoughtless and selfish but not necessarily misogynist.

No

But your behaviour is definitely the definition of martyrdom

then just sit in your seat and stop being so ridiculous then.

Oh and Google the definition of misogyny while you wait.

So you're probably already carrying a potential virus?

Even more reason to wear a mask.

People bleating "misogyny" every time something happens that they don't like dilute the instances of actual misogyny. Please stop it.

But this is not misogyny, which is a hatred of women and girls.

I agree this is not misogyny but this comment is a bit much. of course a heavily pregnant woman should be offered a seat. Why can’t a primary school aged child stand ?? And it’s very rude to expect a pregnant woman to sit beside 2 people coughing and spluttering. There is a lot of flu around at the moment and flu is dangerous for pregnant woman.

We don’t know for sure it’s a cold. Flu can be dangerous for pregnant women. The op is right to be careful to avoid being around sick people.

Stop being so fucking precious. Of course it's not misogyny and you don't have some god-given right to be kept away from people who have a bit of a cold. Grow up.

of course a heavily pregnant woman should be offered a seat. Why can’t a primary school aged child stand ??

There was a seat. OP just chooses not to sit in it.

I didn’t say she wasn’t offered one. I meant it’s not misandry expecting a seat as a heavily pregnant woman. Also anyone with any ounce of medical knowledge would know not to hang around a clinic for pregnant women coughing and spluttering. This man prob didn’t have a clue and didn’t think of it though.

It's not misogyny but it's very poor form. If they have to drive her to the appointment they should stay in the car (which is what DH and DC1 did during my 20 week scan when she had chickenpox).

if she needs assistance on public transport for some reason then they should wait in a well-ventilated lobby or ask the receptionist whether there's an unused waiting room available.

The question for me is always why dome women absolutely require their husband's attendance where there is no need for him to be there. Not specifically in this instance which just shows utter rudeness to me but the ones who literally cannot ho to the shops without him. It's pathetic.

Please stop undermining misogyny by applying it to things that quite obviously aren't.

This just gives creedence to 'women are hysterical' and all those other, lovely misogynistic slurs and ridiculous notions that still exist for some.

It was rude, however.