Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Has anyone ever told a male to smile more?

31 replies

CarefulN0w · 14/03/2025 09:34

In this particular instance it’s conductors, but am sure it applies widely.

I’ve definitely been told as a nurse to smile - my male counterparts, not so much.

Has anyone ever told a male conductor to ‘smile more’? I doubt it

https://www.thetimes.com/article/113c70aa-1526-4915-9fda-e6a2747379fa?shareToken=f727b132f4039ed48b85ded218d9dcc8

Has anyone ever told a male conductor to ‘smile more’? I doubt it

Women whose gestures seem too overbearing, or facial expressions too fierce, will often be criticised for the very things regarded as assets in men

https://www.thetimes.com/article/113c70aa-1526-4915-9fda-e6a2747379fa?shareToken=f727b132f4039ed48b85ded218d9dcc8

OP posts:
elgreco · 14/03/2025 22:33

Only once, 2 days after a missed miscarriage, I doubt he told a random woman to "cheer up, it may never happen" again

JanesLittleGirl · 14/03/2025 22:55

There are two forms to the "smile" question. There is the passive/aggressive form that is non-sexual. Examples are:

"Cheer up mate, it could be worse."

"Give us a smile. You might even feel better."

"What's up love, lost a quid and found 10p?"

Then there is the sexist version:

"You would look quite pretty if you smiled."

"A smile would make you really sexy."

I don't think that the second set of examples are ever directed at men.

PatienceTried · 14/03/2025 23:18

gemdrop84 · 14/03/2025 17:57

I once blew my lid at a man telling me to "smile love, it might never happen" not long after I found my mum had died suddenly. He looked shocked! I would like to think that man went on to be more mindful what he said to passing women after that.

thats an incredibly insensitive reading of your face, which would have been distress.

But my gcse chem teacher (all girls school) told my class that he had stopped telling girls to cheer up and smile when one responded ‘my brother died today’

selffellatingouroborosofhate · 14/03/2025 23:35

nocoolnamesleft · 14/03/2025 20:54

I was a junior doctor. He was a male nurse practitioner. He told me to "Cheer up! Who died?" I told him my granddad, the night before. I was later told to apologise to him for upsetting him.

JFC

collation · 14/03/2025 23:57

I once told a bus driver to 'smile and give your face a joyride'. He didn't hear me properly so another (drunk) man helpfully told him. He punished me by nearly putting me through the windscreen when he stopped at my stop.

I was surprised it didn't make the 6 o'clock news.

I still said 'thank you' when I stepped off.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page