Micro Acts of Feminism

[AntiqueBooks]

Hello

I heard somewhere about eg assuming a Dr is a woman so when someone says "the Dr will be along in a minute" you say "great I'll see her soon then".

Is there a book or a website or something that has more ideas like this?

Thanks

I don’t think I’ve come across anything quite like that, it’s maybe more of a habit of bucking the ‘default male’ thing. One obvious thing for parents is to correctly sex animals where you can tell but if you can’t then don’t call it a ‘he’.
not exactly what you’re looking for perhaps but The Man Who Has it All is entertaining. I’m half inclined to buy my DD and her BF the Engineer and Male Engineer pair of T-shirts.

I like to hold doors open for men and insist they go first 😅. Petty but satisfying.

I also like to describe things as 'cute' or 'pretty' on men, 'like your t-shirt, it's cute' .

Asking 'whose got the kids'

Or saying “you’re good at that…for a man” eg driving!

I do the door thing. I like the look of confusion that occasionally pass over their faces.

I try to push the point with student/ newly qualified paramedics working with me about the fact that studies show that women are underdosed/ withheld pain relief at much higher rates than men, and to always be mindful of this fact.

Also if teaching CPR to lay people i make the point that less bystander CPR is carried out on women then on men, meaning less women survive pre hospital cardiac arrest.

Calling the cuddly toys “she” to avoid default male assumptions.
Same with the doctor thing.
Suggesting to male colleagues that they consider part time working when they talk about busy young child home life.
Swapping around some of the actions when reading “faraway tree” Enid Blyton books to kids years ago - I got the girls going ahead to check it was safe while the boys got the picnic ready, etc.

This is all food for thought, thank you!

Calling God "She" at church.

Interestingly, my now adult child thought doctors were all women and nurses were all men.

@Allthesnowallthetime that's so funny - the God thing would really upset my mother (bonus!)

And funny enough my mum was a nurse and dad a doctor, so I had the classic assumption - the other way round! (Even tho I knew nurses got paid less than Drs)

The green signal on pelican crossings is a woman wearing trousers, not a man

Correcting people that refer to me as Mrs. I'm married and it's Ms 😀

I do this too!
Also I've been with dp for 20yrs, mortgage, children etc, in conversation when people say 'blah blah blah your husband' I automatically reply breezily 'oh we're not married.' They almsot always end up stumbling over their words and apologising, which I find a strange reaction. Dp thinks I'm rude to correct to them and should just leave it 🤷‍♀️.

Another thing sprung to mind is lifting heavy things or insisting pushing heavy supermarket trolley if dp is there, he thinks this looks bad as the man should be doing those things 🤨. Of course he doesn't stop me, he knows better than that.

Possibly not a feminist act so much as a low blow, but when middle-aged men get angry and aggressive towards me, I just pat my upper arm and say - "mind your blood pressure, love." Never fails to enrage.

@earlyr1ser you and I must be kindred spirits. I like to "glance" (but enough for them to notice) at their paunch/bald spot etc and smile very slightly to myself (but again, enough for them to notice).

They don't ever say "why are you looking at my paunch/bald spot" for some reason!

Yes the presumption of the animal, toy
etc being female. Reminds me of an old saw/ clerihew?

In Sussex everything is a she
Except the tomcat, and she's a he.

Good ideas here. Not sure why it brings me so much satisfaction but I have always called my husband’s wallet his purse and his boxers his knickers just for fun. It really annoys him.

I always say 'she or he' not vice versa.

All predators are female. E.g. watching Jurassic Park, 'look at the teeth on her!' Herbivores? All boys.

And i play a mean game of patriarchy chicken.

And i always drive, especially at work with male coworkers.

When I see a tiny baby in a pink pram, pink blankets, pink headband, pink clothes…, ‘oh he’s so cute’!!

Think you’ll find all the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are female….

The CPR point is really interesting - I didn't know that but when I was doing a first aid course a few months ago the instructor told us that. I have been doing first aid courses since 1999 and this was the first time anyone had mentioned it!

I address letters ( not so many, but more at Xmas) to Mrs and Mr.

Been doing it for years. Always makes me smile

Describing angry men as emotional. Works especially well when anyone endorses any of the shouty podcast men. “Oh him? I know who you mean, he gets so emotional.”

I love this thread. I do the her or him thing. But definitely taking some pointers from this thread!

Also buy these books - about women in careers that are traditionally done by men: www.lisarajan.com/