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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to say men who believe this are sexist pricks

331 replies

Oddsocksanduglyshoes · 27/07/2025 00:26

Men who refuse to watch the euro finals tomorrow as it’s women’s football - so what’s the point and refuse to watch, and say this in front of they wives and daughters are misogynistic pricks and their wives and daughters deserve so much better?

OP posts:
HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 27/07/2025 20:29

🙌🎉🙌🎉🙌🎉

Livpool · 27/07/2025 20:32

As mentioned earlier I generally find the women’s game a bit too slow to follow too closely but we saw the penalties and 9 year old DS is made up! They are better at penalties than the England men’s team!

pourmeadrinkpls · 27/07/2025 20:33

BlueandPinkSwan · 27/07/2025 10:24

I want them to win but won't be watching because I'm not interested in football.
But if I did watch and refused to watch the men playing, does that make me the female equivalant of a sexist twat Polly
What a load of sexist crap about 'attractive women in shorts'.

I was being ironic about the shorts, lighten up 😒

Sadcafe · 27/07/2025 20:43

Steph117 · 27/07/2025 18:20

It is levels below National League. A mid table National League team would put double figures past them before HT.

It is the misrepresentation that is tiresome.

Not convinced they are that poor

SomethingFun · 27/07/2025 21:14

Wah men are better - well they don’t win though do they 😁😁😁😁 Go lionesses! Another nailbiter from England with an added 30 minutes so you are getting your money’s worth (whether you paid 3k or no) 😁 You’d have to be a right twat to piss all over England’s chips this evening.

We live in a world where we are surrounded by an invisible web of women aren’t good enough. We aren’t good enough to be playing sport on telly. Our voices aren’t good enough to be commentating on sport on telly. We aren’t good enough to be running companies or countries. We aren’t good enough to be doing anything men want to do or be good at. Mediocre men must get multiple chances at whatever goal they want to achieve before any woman gets a sniff. I understand why it’s so hard to fight against it but we deserve it and our daughters deserve to grow up in a world where they aren’t put off their dreams and ambitions before they’ve even started.

SnowFrogJelly · 28/07/2025 01:05

Men don’t win the Euros.. but the Lionesses do! 🎉🏆🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Onleemoi · 28/07/2025 07:59

Imagine not allowing yourself to enjoy that.

GrammarTeacher · 28/07/2025 09:09

It was fabulous. I much prefer it to watching the men’s. Whenever I catch that they seem to just be hoofing it down the pitch at each other. If I wanted to watch tennis I will.

Abhannmor · 28/07/2025 09:30

GrammarTeacher · 28/07/2025 09:09

It was fabulous. I much prefer it to watching the men’s. Whenever I catch that they seem to just be hoofing it down the pitch at each other. If I wanted to watch tennis I will.

Speaking of which the most enjoyable tennis if recent years is being played by Ons Jabeur , a Tunisian woman. Wonderful reflexes, touch , spin, drop shots and lobs. Reminds me of Ken Rosewall. Like Ons , Ken was not very tall or muscular and had to make up for it with actual skill at tennis.

Pastrina · 28/07/2025 09:51

Cosycover · 27/07/2025 10:17

Nah you're reaching. Womens football just simply isn't good football. Totally different level. My husband watches the premier league but wouldn't watch the 3rd division. Same thing.

I watch a PL team and have a season ticket for my local tier 7 team. So yes a difference in quality between those 2 but the tier 7 team is still worlds ahead of the women’s national team in terms of quality.

I wouldn’t watch a mens team playing at the same quality level as the women's. I watch football for enjoyment, relaxation. Not to demonstrate any feminist credentials.

I’m absolutely delighted for the Lionesses.

Radioundermypillow · 28/07/2025 09:55

Velmy · 27/07/2025 02:16

I'm not a football fan at all, but enjoy sport in general and will watch the occasional big game, World Cup, etc.

Even I can recognize that the difference in levels between the men and women's game is so vast, it might as well be a different sport.

Let's be honest, in terms of elite sport, the level of women's international football is absolute trash in comparison to the men's game. I can completely understand why a football fan who doesn't specifically follow women's football would not want to watch the game tomorrow because it won't be very good.

I say this as a former competitive athlete in a male dominated sport. As a spectator, I enjoy the men's competition in my sport much more, because with the odd exception, the levels are much higher. This will of course change over time, as it is currently doing in football.

If a man doesn't want to watch the game tomorrow because "Birds should be in the kitchen", that's scumbag behavior. If they don't want to watch it because the national team plays to the level of a hungover Sunday league team, that's fine.

I really think it comes down to what you value more as a spectator - technique or emotion. The mens game is undoubtedly more powerful and they have a much more refined technique. But the women's game seems so full of emotion and humanity to me, I find the mens game sterile. It doesn't help that they get paid obscene amounts.

Also one of my dds played to a high level pre injury so I'm invested in it more. They played boys teams and beat them regularly pre the age of 14. Some of the dads and boys in the team were absolutely unable to cope with being beaten by girls, it was eye opening. A few of the boys were really mature about it, shaking hands and congratulating them, but there was a high proportion of tears and storming off - from players and dads.

brunettemic · 28/07/2025 10:01

Sadcafe · 27/07/2025 20:43

Not convinced they are that poor

They are, but there’s also nothing wrong with that. It’s essentially an entirely different sport with its own merits, which is also fine. The Swiss team lost 7-1 to an under 15 boys team.

brunettemic · 28/07/2025 10:05

I’m a big football fan and I don’t really have much of an interest in it. I have no connection to it really beyond the fact that it’s England. For the record I feel the same about the men’s England team. I watched the second half of extra time and the penalties and was pleased they won but it’s eye opening seeing the differences between what I’m used to watching and last night.

Radioundermypillow · 28/07/2025 10:05

I'm pretty sure an under 15 boys team would not beat the Lionesses or the Spanish women today. Maybe 10 years ago.

Radioundermypillow · 28/07/2025 10:07

brunettemic · 28/07/2025 10:01

They are, but there’s also nothing wrong with that. It’s essentially an entirely different sport with its own merits, which is also fine. The Swiss team lost 7-1 to an under 15 boys team.

Yeah, I saw that. It will change and improve though, it has already improved hugely in the last 5 years. They dont have to be the same standard anyway - its more relatable being a bit shit!

SnowFrogJelly · 28/07/2025 10:09

I can’t believe some of the comments on here regarding the quality of the women’s team, I thought they played brilliantly and winning the Euros twice proves it

brunettemic · 28/07/2025 10:14

SnowFrogJelly · 28/07/2025 10:09

I can’t believe some of the comments on here regarding the quality of the women’s team, I thought they played brilliantly and winning the Euros twice proves it

The comments about the quality of the team are because people create a debate about the quality against men’s football. They’re light years apart. In terms of quality in the women’s game the tyre clearly very good given they won the Euros.

Onleemoi · 28/07/2025 10:50

Women were banned from playing football between 1921 - 1971 because “the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.” Baffled there are women who aren’t proud of what these women are achieving.

TaupeLemur · 28/07/2025 10:56

It’s become a handy litmus test for me OP - the kind of men who are all ‘ I’d NEVER watch a women’s game because… blah blah blah’ are generally the kind of pricks I’d give a wide berth to for many reasons.

Radioundermypillow · 28/07/2025 11:04

Onleemoi · 28/07/2025 10:50

Women were banned from playing football between 1921 - 1971 because “the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.” Baffled there are women who aren’t proud of what these women are achieving.

This is so important to remember!

TaupeLemur · 28/07/2025 11:05

I’ll start taking men’s opinions on football seriously when the England men’s team actually win something. Until then they shouldn’t be worrying their pretty little heads about the women’s game…

BitOutOfPractice · 28/07/2025 11:48

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 27/07/2025 12:59

I'm a man, and I won't be watching it whereas I probably would the mens final.

It's not because they're women specifically, but more that the women's game just isn't that interesting to me. It's naturally slower paced, and generally less skillful. (And yes, I get that that's because fewer people watch it, so there's less money in it, which means that women get less opportunity to train, which means it's less exciting, which means fewer people watch it , and so on and so on.)

I find the same with Tennis, but with the sexes reversed. The women's game is so much more entertaining to watch, because it's less about sheer power, so when Wimbledon comes around I tend to only watch the women's matches.

Rugby on the other hand I tend to enjoy both the male and female games equally.

Im a massive football fan. I follow a PL team and have done for 45 years.

But the difference between you and me Is that I just love football. I’d watch any football match because I love the game. For instance, I’m going to watch a PL U21 team play my local non-league team on Saturday. It undoubtedly won’t be up to the standard of my beloved PL club, but will I enjoy it? Hell yes. Did I enjoy the game yesterday. Yes I did. I try and watch Every game in the men’s international competitions too (not just England games, every game). Because I love football.

These men who say they won’t watch women’s football because it’s not as good, are not football fans. They are fans of a particular club, not football. I’m sure most of them wouldn’t want to hear that - especially from a woman. And if they deny it and say they love football in general, then the only reason they have for dismissing the women’s game is that they are, as the op identified, sexist pricks.

Onleemoi · 28/07/2025 12:05

BitOutOfPractice · 28/07/2025 11:48

Im a massive football fan. I follow a PL team and have done for 45 years.

But the difference between you and me Is that I just love football. I’d watch any football match because I love the game. For instance, I’m going to watch a PL U21 team play my local non-league team on Saturday. It undoubtedly won’t be up to the standard of my beloved PL club, but will I enjoy it? Hell yes. Did I enjoy the game yesterday. Yes I did. I try and watch Every game in the men’s international competitions too (not just England games, every game). Because I love football.

These men who say they won’t watch women’s football because it’s not as good, are not football fans. They are fans of a particular club, not football. I’m sure most of them wouldn’t want to hear that - especially from a woman. And if they deny it and say they love football in general, then the only reason they have for dismissing the women’s game is that they are, as the op identified, sexist pricks.

Same! Except my team is a championship side. I’ve had a season ticket forever. 47 years. Love the game and appreciate all the differences.

BitOutOfPractice · 28/07/2025 12:23

@Onleemoi my team has spent faaaaaaaar more time out of the premier league than in it. I’ve watched my team in the old fourth division, supported them through two consecutive relegations, the lot. Love the club.

I expect our two teams have met many times. I love the championship. So much more competitive than the prem, so predictable with the same old teams at the top every year.

Cant wait for the new season to start! Hope you have a good campaign (unless you’re West Brom 😉)

Radioundermypillow · 28/07/2025 12:27

I bet men feel relieved and comfortable that every social media post about the Lionesses descends into talking about the men's game. Can't have the women centred for even one day.