Anyone hit their thirties and suddenly *give no fucks*?

[GinaFordCortina]

I've just found I'm speaking up loads more and telling off twats men more and more. Just had a go at some blokes catcalling teen girls. It's like I feel pushed to the edge about everything

Yes. Husband's started doing it too. My son calls out sexism when he spots it. High hopes for baby daughter too :)

I feel it's a good thing. Might be my age or just this forum opening our eyes.

Haha wait til you get to your 50s

Yep! I work in a male dominated industry and I heard that apparently the contractors warn each other before coming to my site that I don't take any sexist shit.

Haha wait til you get to your 50s grin
No! The way I am now I might just go on a slapping spree! Randomly thwacking men doing the school run in inappropriate tshirts

Felt it at 40 and I love the feeling of caring less and less about people's opinions of me. I wish I'd had this feeling as a child, teenager and younger adult. I'm trying to instil a sense of it into my children so they don't spend too much time worrying about others.

The way I am now I might just go on a slapping spree! Randomly thwacking men doing the school run in inappropriate tshirts

I fail to see a problem with that. They deserve it. Though for your own safety, you probably should better wait until your 90s or 100s, when you will be deemed too frail for prison.

Am in my 30s, still give too many fucks. Will have to work on that.

I think it started when I was 35. I suddenly seemed to lose my shyness.

Fantastic you challenged them Gina. Having been on the receiving end of such things, passers by intervening would be very welcome (not that it should be any woman's responsibility to do so). I'd like to challenge it more but unfortunately, though confidence isn't generally too much of an issue for me, it is in such situations (which makes me enraged at myself in a way). I do challenge anyone I know on sexism regularly though, which has unsurprisingly alienated some, but I hope I shan't stop. I suppose in that respect you could say I'm already at the stage of not caring in that I'd be a lot more popular with boys if I didn't (although I do have some good male friends who are supportive of feminism) but with me it's more how enraged I get by misogyny and what I see as the widespread acceptance of it which overrides how much I care what some people think!

MudGolum excellent to hear of your husband and son. One of my brothers is similar and challenges sexism from his friends if he hears it, regularly telling me about incidents he's not let go. I have similar hopes for my other brother.

I wish. I'm 38 and still unable to express any opinions without physically shaking. It's so embarrassing that I've given up trying.

Yes! To be honest I still do have some fucks to give but definitely a lot less. I shouted at two arseholes the other day who were about to have a fight. It was 10am on a sunday morning....they were effing and blinding and getting all pushy/shovey. There were loads of kids about so i told yelled them to mind their language and to behave.

Never would've done that 10 years ago.

I started giving fewer fucks when I turned 30 but still have a long way to go. Not too far from 40 now hope that birthday has the same effect!

Just realised the fewer in my post makes me look like a snotty critical grammar nazi. I only meant to emphasise that not all of my giving a fuck disappeared on reaching 30. Hope I didn't offend.

I'm 32 and am well on my way to zero fucks. Think it's a combination of my age and becoming a mother that did it for me. It's very liberating!

I do bollock people a lot more, yes.

And I complain more too.

I sent an email follow up on a complaint today and just said 'any news on this? ' whereas before I'd have been bowing and scraping.

I can't remember; that was a long time ago. I've been consistent throughout my life with the amount of fucks I've given.

I am a thundering bitch now, it's great

I am opinionated and won't take a second of shite from anyone. 40something.

Just wait until you get to 53 have been seriously ill and find yourself saying to an interviewer, we are just arguing over semantics.... so do I have the job or not.

I did.

I'm 34 and starting to feel that way I've always been very shy so may take me longer but I don't care quite so much what people think. Plus I finally found the strength to leave my waste of space ex a month ago something I didn't have the confidence to do for the last 10yrs. So maybe I am starring to not care so much

Also 34 and have been feeling like this more and more in the last few years. I think it coincides with career progression, motherhood and a general global clusterfuck shitty attitude to women since the US Elections.

Aged 56 here. Fuckbank running on fumes...

✋🏻- I give no fucks now I'm 37. It's Been a gradual thing. I told off a male colleague for his ridiculous mansplaining of a concept that I studied at degree and post grad level and have 11 years experience in dealing with.

Wouldn't have done that 10 years ago. I think strident is the appropriate word.

Here's a handy illustration:
i.imgur.com/FAQDh0f.jpg

Yes. Brilliant thread.
I feel like I've been made an outsider & discovered its not so bad out here, not as bad as being a handmaiden would be.

Age is marvellously liberating.

There's also the thing about when your children become adults. You start looking at other people who are around your kids' age and can't help thinking hmmm you're not too old for a damn lecture, young man.

I sometimes find that inadvertently invoking mum mode works wonders.