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Almost everybody's experienced sexism. Whether it be unintentional, or fully intentional, it's happened. Bored Panda has tons of posts on this. Just the other day, my younger sister, who's just 8, was walking back from school, which just reopened, and two men in a semi honked at her just for laughs. Whether this was sexism or just rudeness, I can't stand it. And I'm wondering what your first experiences were.

#1

I was raised in the country life. We always loved mud, dirt, hunting, and sports. Well, 8th grade we were playing kick ball. The boys made me be in the back of the line. I asked and one of them looked at me and said, "Because you're a girl and girls are not supposed to play sports," then he pointed to the preps, " Why not be like them, pretty, thin, girly, not like you". Then he turned around and said nothing else...so to prove my point i kicked him in the balls. Then I told him that I can play kick ball.

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#2

The first sexism I experienced was my mom and grandma telling me: "If you act and look like that no man will want you. If you don't learn how to cook or clean, how will you take care of your husband and kids?"
Well, I decided to dress how I like, look like I want, and never care what men that I don't even know had to say to me. I will be who I am and the right person will like me for just that.

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YoChicken
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES. MY MOM TELLS ME THIS ALL THE TIME. Most of the time, while this is going on, I'm zoning her out so hard..

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#3

My (female) teacher saying that I couldn't become an archaeologist because "digging in the dirt like an animal is something that only boys are worthy of doing" and "pretty little princesses" should do something more "worthwhile" like working with kids in nurseries.

I'm an archaeologist, go figure.

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#4

When I was about 7, I decided to try out for baseball. I spent about half an hour with my dad in the registration office, trying to explain I wanted to sign up for baseball, not softball. It was co-ed, not boys, and softball was co-ed too. Eventually, we just gave up and I did baseball at a different, more inclusive place. But I'll never forget that.

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#5

It's difficult to recall the first time, but I remember the time when my breasts just started growing, there was almost nothing there. Boys in my neighborhood surrounded me one day pointing at my mini breasts and laughed their bums off because they could see the contours through my T-shirt. I felt very embarrassed as if something was wrong with me and that I should hide my body.

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HooowlAtTheMoon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is incredibly inappropriate of them. Nothing is wrong with you.

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#6

In primary school grade 5, I was fed up with other children annoying me so I cried. A girl, then decided to tell me that men don't cry. Even then, that really pissed me off.

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#7

The first time something happened that actually registered as not just "that's mean" but "wait, that's sexist" was when I was on an academic quiz-bowl type team in high school. The coach would ALWAYS introduce the guys enthusiastically along with their specialties, like "There's Bob, he's our science guy. He knows everything about biology, chemistry, you name it. We can always count on Bob for the science questions!" And then he'd get to me, the only girl and also the team's math leader, and be like, "And this is A.M." very flatly. My dad noticed it and got mad about it long before I did - I didn't want to believe that was the reason until I noticed when a guy buzzed in and got it wrong he'd still smile and clap and say "Don't worry! You'll get it next time! Keep it up!" and if I did it he'd always get angry and say "For the love of... why are you buzzing in if you don't know the answer?! Just sit there and keep quiet if you don't know it!!!" And that's when I quit.

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#8

I was sleeping in class and when I woke up the boy next to me said “hey sleeping in class in only for boys” one year later I started getting my breasts and THE SAME BOY said “hey- want to go out? 0.1 seconds later he’s at the nurse with a broken nose 😎😅

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#9

When I didn't grow my chest as fast as all the other girls. I also didn't get my period "on time". Also when I cut off my long hair, I didn't look "girly" enough. Now i identify as non-binary and refuse to let people tell me what is expected of me because I'm a "girl".

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Aj Grimes (they/it/she/he)
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dang, we have so much in common breasts not growing fast, late periods, short hair, and being non-binary. My gender also gets assumed by random people on the street. They think I'm a girl. Like one time I was playing at this place with the band at church and two different ladies said "good jobs guys," and then they pointed at me and said, "and girl." I was so mad at them.

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#10

A boy told me I swam like a girl but I was prepared for this so I replied "If you swam a little faster you would too. PS when we got time he was actually slower than me.

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#11

This happened when I was 10...
I slept in my class because I was very tired. I used to being bullied at past. When I sleep, the contour of the bra strap is really...visible :<
The girls who bullied me pulled on the bra strap and I woke with blush on my face.
"Mirai the busty girl...now you wear bra?"
"Hey, this deaf kid wears bra! So gross, yucky!"
They touched on my breasts too...

And i slapped them and ran in tears :v

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YoChicken
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate it that when you're younger, people hate you wearing a bra, and when you're older, people are like you're so flat-chested. Like, we can't help the way our body develops! And it is not going to develop according to society's standards so...F**k off

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#12

"Can I have some strong boys to carry this?"
"Well, why can't I carry it?"
"Because boys are just stronger than girls."

An actual conversation I had with my teacher.

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MiRaE World
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the most annoying ever sentence: "bOyS ArE sTRonGer tHan giRLs." show that you are strong!

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#13

I remember that in my school, in the early grades, boys always hanged out with boys, and girls with girls. Classmates always mocked those that didn't abide by these unwritten rules

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HooowlAtTheMoon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love being gay because my parents would be suspicious and monitor every conversation i ever had with a boy on my phone, and never find anything signifying I was in a relationship with them or liked them at all. They never suspected the girls hahaa

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#14

6th grade bra strap snapped daily until back bled principal boys will be boys. 7th boy touched my thigh in math class I told him to stop teacher gave me detention.

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#15

When I was younger I always liked colors that were labeled as “masculine”. Like orange, blue, red. Whenever I went to the dentist you would get a balloon. I would ask for a blue or red balloon. The nurses would always say, “Don’t you want a punk or purple balloon, sweetie?” My mom would yell at them and say “Let the kid have what she wants. Now I am a very girly girl who’s favorite color is still blue.

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#16

At McDonald's with my best friend when I was 5 or so and our moms both got us happy meals....he and his brothers all got hot wheels, I got a mini barbie... no one asked me...I was so upset that I walked up to the counter and asked for a hot wheel instead. They told me no! So I explained to my mom that I wanted to play with friend and his brothers; she got it straightened out for my five year old self...... little did I know this was just the beginning

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Amalie Plougmann
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sad :( hot wheels so much better! LIKE HOW DO YOU PLAY WITH ONE BARBIE BY ITSELF!?

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#17

When I was in 4th grade, I wanted to play the trumpet. My dad didn’t really want me to. He knew I would be awful, and it would be suuupppppeeerrrrrrr loud. When I asked why he didn’t want me to play trumpet, his excuse was “it’s a boys instrument”. I swear, he isn’t a sexist person, it was just a dumb excuse that he probably regrets. Anyways, I still played, and it was awful. I was terrible. And, I was literally so bad that the band teachers told me not to ACTUALLY play in the concert but to just pretend. Oh well

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#18

I started puberty quite early. By the time I was in 5th grade, I wore C cups. The boys in my class were ALWAYS looking at my boobs. Because of that, I started to hide in oversized hoodies.

I also used to wear low-rise jeans a lot because I thought they were comfortable. Kid undies are ALWAYS super bright and colorful, so whenever my shirt didn't cover the tops of them, boys would stare and make inappropriate comments.

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#19

I am just getting to the age where women start to be sexualized more. I remember the first time I got catcalled, I was walking down the street to my house, and this car drove by and honked at me. It startled me, and I was too scared to talk about it. Since then I have been catcalled a few other times. I also have been stared at a lot by men, who will immediately look away the moment I notice them staring. Also, one time me and my friend were on a walk, and a man started to follow us, until we ran into this random person's yard who was working on their porch.


This is disgusting, I am 14. I am a child, and plenty of people have it worse than I do.

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Ashamba
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well done for showing the lookers that they have been spotted. I was always too shy, confused, possibly frightened, to acknowledge catcalling, let alone have the confidence to look them in the eye.😕

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#20

Any office job I've had. When a man is interviewing an attractive woman, but the other applicants are more than capable, guess who gets the job? Every time. EVERY TIME.

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Martin Kaine
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why I dress as an attractive woman for every job interview. But its so hard to put foundation over my beard.

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#21

Paying higher rate for car insurance just because I am a *Male under 25*.

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Jods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don’t know why you got down-voted for this. Unfortunately, It’s all due to statistics. It isn’t right to say that all males under 25 are likely to have or cause accidents. It’s the same with older men. My dad, 84, has a very low insurance premium. But I don’t feel safe if he’s driving and often want to contact the DVLA anonymously to get them to take his licence away.

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#22

idk if this is really sexist or not but I am a girl with EXTREMELY short hair and I really kinda look like a boy so people often mistake me for one. its pretty fun most of the time but it gets rlly awkward when people ask me " why are you wearing earrings? you're a boy not a girl so take them off rn"

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Aj Grimes (they/it/she/he)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually one time a had really short hair, and I went to the bathroom and this girl yelled at me bc I looked like a boy.

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#23

My mom gets mad at me when I wear a tie and pants with my uniform for Sunday at or church. She says "women have to wear skirts and pantyhose at church." Literally that bitch wears pants with her uniform when it is not Sunday.

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Jackie Swenson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was 7 I refused to where pants so my mom forced me "because I was a grown lady"

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#24

Birth. Parents really wanted a boy. Apparently they thought I was going to be a boy until I was born. (IDK how, it was early 70s so I guess the tech was not that good or I was to stubborn to allow a good view.) I got the female version of the name I would have received if I had been a boy. My alcoholic father left when I was 2. My mother later told me he left and went back to his ex-wife and his son. I don't know for certain if that is true, but I do know I did not see him again until I was 7...a few months after by brother was born.

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#25

Well I experienced sexism a lot in elementary school but just things like boys saying they are better than girls and stuff but the biggest one was when I wanted to get a suit for my grandma’s funeral instead of a dress but my dad said something lime I can’t because a girl wearing a suit can’t be taken seriously

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#26

One time when me and my family were having dumplings (I LOVE DUMPLINGS!) and my grandma gave my little bro way more than me and I asked why. She said "Aaron is a boy and he needs to grow big and strong to protect you" Yep.

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#27

When I was in 6th grade, a kid that sat next to me in art class accidentally misgendered me as a girl (I'm a boy with long hair, so it comes up a lot). I perceived it as an accident and kindly corrected him. but he INSISTED that I was a girl because I had long hair. He said some other pretty sexist things, and he was told that if it came up again he would be sent to the principles office. Later that week, in the P.E. locker room, he ACTUALLY ASKED WHY I WAS THERE! I was about ready to slap him, but I just pulled off his hood instead (idk why). He said "Why'd you do that!?!? You doing that is like me ripping off your hair!" Long story short, he's a sexist idiot.

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#28

*Notes: My little bro was 2 and we were riding in a car*
So I was like 5 years old and my friend was over and we were talking about (female) police officers.We asked him if HE liked that women were ALSO saving the world along with men, just like in ZooTopia.He and his little sexist ass said "Girls can't BE police! That's a BOY'S job. Girls stay home and babysit." WELL S**T.

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Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope your friend outgrew his male chauvinism. I know a few lady constables who could cure him if he hasn't.

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#29

I used to work at my local airport and would chat with the crew that came through. One older pilot knew I was in school and one day I told him I was close to graduating and he immediately says, "now it's time to get married and start having babies." Nope. That is not my calling in life!

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#30

When I was three I told my friend I wanted to be a doctor, and he said “you can’t be a doctor, you’re a girl.” And I was like “ so my doctor isn’t really a girl?” He was like ????. Then I told a teacher what happened.

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#31

***might be triggering. just a warning***
I was 6, I was with my sisters at a school playground. Because it was in the off hours, there was no adult supervision on the playground. There was a lot of kids on the playground that day. I was on one end of the playground when I saw one of my neighbors, a boy 3 years older than I was, push a girl in the middle of the playground off her rollerblades. Like a flock of vultures a group of about 5 boys closed in on her. They went near to her, then scurried away. If she tried to get up, they pushed her down again. One of them, I'm not sure which, pulled down her pants. It was a cold day, so she was wearing thermal underwear, thankfully. My sisters, only slightly older than I was, told me not to get involved. I knew I was seeing something bad happening and no one else was stepping forward to stop it. Though I was 6, I was big for my age, but I felt intimidated, literally stepping in between the group of boys and the girl in what must have looked like a perverse game of keep-away. The boys, once encountering resistance, began to leave the playground. I remember somewhat of the conversation I had with the girl. She was crying, and I was telling her she should probably go home because "those boys might be back." I knew she was alone, scared, and vulnerable. She was too shaken to rollerblade, and she had no other footwear. It took some cajoling to get my sisters to come with me and the girl to go find the girl's brother, who apparently was in the vicinity biking with his friends. It took a while to find him, and I didn't see that girl for years. Looking back, I'd say this was the first real encounter with sexism and sexual assault, because that group of boys saw her as prey and not as a fellow playmate.

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#32

One day I realized that I would go from being a girl to being a woman.... I became overwhelmingly afraid and angry because as far as I could tell this meant I would not have a voice. I wouldn't have a choice or a chance to "be whatever I wanted to be when I grew up" because I saw what women were forced to do..... it appeared I was going to be doomed to house work, child rearing and always playing 2nd (or 3rd) fiddle to men. I cannot pin down one thing that led me to this point, it was just everything around me, socially, culturally, regionally... it was really traumatic.

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#33

In high school, my boyfriend and I went to apply for our first jobs together. We applied at the same place, for the same job, with the same experience level. We both got hired but I was paid minimum wage, which was $5.15 at the time. He got paid $8.00. It was a seasonal job to work through Christmas. When that time was up, they let my boyfriend go but asked me to stay on because of the hard work I gave. They never offered a raise, or gave one when I asked. I worked there for a year until the new manager harassed me one night when we were closing together. He was following me around the store while I was putting away returns, making really gross comments about me...both sexist comments and sexual comments. I didn't feel comfortable anymore being alone with him so I called my mom to pick me up and I left. The store was closed, all that was left to do was sweep, mop, and count the money. I got fired the next day because they said leaving was the same as quitting....I didn't feel safe enough to tell them my reason. That was almost 2 decades ago and I'm still bitter about it lol

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#34

in 5th grade I decided to were a fancy and pretty bra to school because..logic...my breast grew faster than others so I needed it. but in school, the ¨poppular¨ girls asked if I had stuffed tissues in my shirt and I said no, they laughed at me then walked away. I felt so insider and since then I have only worn sports bras and I always felt that my breasts were too big, that still is my biggest insecurity.

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Burnerz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't feel bad because other people laugh because of who you are Asy, they only do that so they can make themselves feel better, k?

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#35

My mom told me not to rough house with my brother because “he would grow up to be stronger than me.” 🤮

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#36

Probably when I was about seven or eight years old my dad wouldn’t let me help him fix the car when he was teaching my older two brothers (1 yr & 5 yrs older) which parts went where and what they were for but mostly standing around watching or grabbing the socket wrench. I felt left out much of the time since my dad was always working around the house, fixing things or building things.

Mainly growing up with brothers, and lots of neighborhood kids, mostly boys, made it clear that if you wanted to hang you had to keep up.
This was when I heard much of the sexist messaging of that generation.
“You’re a girl. You can’t play football.” All of a sudden was I not allowed to play at school with the same kids I played with outside of school.
“You throw pretty good for a girl.”
This is around 1978-1988 give or take.
And when I got into my teen years before driving I was allowed to ride my bike with friends around town about 5 mile radius or so, not far and always residential neighborhoods. Carpenters, roofers, grown-ass-men would whistle at me or the bunch of us kids from above as I peddled on past. This was always surprising since I never saw it coming. Obviously, I didn’t know what they were doing until I got older and able to go places farther from home and saw movies PG-13 that were not always construction sites and the girls were women. I was sheltered in that way- NOT prepared for that kind of sexual harassment but prepared NOT to be afraid either. Most predators look like the people you grew up with.
All facts and opinions are my own. ~Marya Keeth M.S. M.A.

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#37

Being told at a school’s career day that I should be a teacher or a nurse and not try to find out about how to get into the stunt industry.

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Galactik
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

god damn it why don't people understand? You can be whatever you want to be if you're motivated enough.

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#38

I have been told from a young age that "your kids will be so nice" or that "you'll be a great mom" and ever since i've been told how babies were made I've been ace and have no plans on ever having children.
I still get comments on about "my future kids" and it annoys me so much, I've expressed my not wanting children my whole life, also I'm still in middle school, so why are you already talking about me having kids/getting married and starting a family

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#39

When I was young, say around 9 or 10 when I first realized that because I was female there were certain things, rules, criterion, standards by which I was expected to conduct myself. Because I wanted to wear jeans and sneakers instead of little frilly dresses with white socks and black patent leather Mary Janes I was called a "tom boy" amongst other things. Later on in life when I had entered the work force I was a woman doing a mans job, automotive technician, I was called dyke, lezzie, just to name a few. After my first job twisting wrenches I always made a point of showing up when every I had my tool boxes dropped at a new job, to always wear make up, short shorts (weather permitting) and titty shirts to show them that #1. I was in fact very female and #2. I was very feminine.

It didn't help after 40 years I still had guys quit because a woman was going to work in a stall next to them, still had the wives of said mechanics hate me BECAUSE I worked next to their husbands, still had guys hitting on me, still had guys calling me dyke, etc.

Some people can't handle the supposed threat of someone of the opposite sex doing their job and possibly doing better than them....

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#40

Two groups on dodge ball my friend was last picked because she was a girl the two group leader people were both boys chosen by the PE teacher I am I girl (I am currently bi just fyi) and I was only chosen on one team because I was good at the game

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berkeleyfanning avatar
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was saying my friend was. It picked but I was only picked because I was good at the game

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#41

at a park I was wearing my brother's hand-me-down shorts ( I loved guy clothes since I was 6) some random guy asked me were"my clothes" I told him these were my clothes and he said "no those are boy clothes"

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Hermione Granger
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like “boy” clothes because they have pockets. Like, only a few of my pants have pockets! What is up with that?!

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#42

When I was falsely accused of rape, everyone in the high school believed her. No additional questions were raised when she failed to actually press charges. (no it wasn't a borderline case - she instigated everything. I was just there to watch a movie. The movie was Hook.)

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#43

in 2nd grade I was at summer camp and ONLY the girls where allowed on the high balance beam I was 9(f) at the time and was upset that the boys cant do tricks on the big beam.

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#44

Hello! I used to be in Model UN when I was in high school, and there always seemed to be a power displacement between the male and the non male delegates. Not that it was intentional, but I often felt that my opinion was not as important as others. :/

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#45

my grandpa is kinda sexist, and he always says, "men will always be stronger than women" "women are weak" and i get SO TICKED OFF bc i do boxing and i love it, and WOMEN ARE SO STRONG god i hate this world

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Commander Rex
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey uh, that’s not how strength works, sure men’s bodies are better strength wise, (for example, if I got two average people, one male and one female, and had them fight, 6/10 times at least, the man would win) but the strongest women can put up a good fight against the strongest of men.

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#46

My choir teacher was sexist (a little) towards boys (she was a woman). We girls had to sing 3 days a week, and for the other two, we had an assignment that took us 1/4 of the time. I later found out that the boys were NOT singing, but were just allowed to go on their computers.

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#47

Soooooo (not my first time but) yesterday at my lunch table my friend (A boy) was asking the other boys what football team they support. When he got to me and my bff he frikin ignored us!! Also I always get told to 'sit like a lady'.

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GaeFrog
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom always told me to "sit like a lady" and be "lady-like" but one day it hit her that she shouldn't say that and now she just says be polite or act civilized lol

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#48

This probably doesn't count but my father used to tell my brother to "take a big bite, like a man", he's not sexist or anything but still used to do that

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#49

Started high school in 1977. Due to national football rules at the time girls could not play football. We had to endure such crap as country dancing if it was raining. And by country dancing, don’t mean the hoedown type, I mean the totally absurd and incomprehensible dancing done in England by the Edwardian’s, Victorian’s, etc.

The only decent sport us girls got to do was hockey and this was the days of the bully off, more commonly known as ground, stick, ground, stick, ground, stick, shins. And getting whacked on the chin by Steph Woods - we were on the same team.

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#50

Probably being told I can't play with my brother and his friends because I'm a girl. I was not allowed to play the sport with them but I could be the cheerleader...super boring

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~*Zodiac lover~*
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My first friend was a boy he was the kid next door my parents don’t care but when ever I go places if I have friends that are boys I get weird looks sometimes I don’t mind tho

#51

In high school the shop teacher straight up told me he couldn’t have a girl in his class because I didn’t already know how to weld.

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#52

I have three brothers, one of which is older than me (and I'm the only girl), and growing up, I always looked up to him a lot. Something that always confused me though was that when we would draw pictures, my older brother would draw an army of boys dressed in green with giant bases, weapons, tanks, etc, and they would fight against the girls in pink, who he always showed being weak and stupid, and they would always get captured easily. I never really thought about too much even though it seemed wrong until I remembered it recently, and realized it was probably the first time I had ever experienced sexism. My brothers and I always did the same things and I always felt equal to them, so it was actually pretty surprising to realize that they were still sexist sometimes.

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Helen Haley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is offensive because it doesn't apply across the board to all men being stronger than all women. And it is based on the assumption that might makes right, or that physical strength is somehow of paramount importance.

#53

When I was 9 I was really good with on jungle gym bars. I have an older cousin who is like a brother to me, ( i know what your thinking. he was not the one to be sexist) and he would take me to the park and set mini obstacles courses for me. One day when we went, one of his ¨friends¨ was there and wanted to hang out with him. My cousin said no and that he wanted to help me with my obstacle course. The ¨friend¨ said oh she's just a little girl it will take forever hang out with with me you will have a way better time. My cousin thought this was just his ¨friend¨ teasing him and told him that he better get to be wrong. So I did the obstacle course in record time personal record wise and when I´m done my cousin hugs me and says good job. His ¨friend¨ looks at me and says, You must be trans you´re too fast for a girl to do that. My cousin says Okay that it we are going back home. ¨Friend¨ realized I am not trans (my cousin is only 2 and 1/2 years older than me) and decides it will be perfect to ask me out. I say no but he won´t stop and that when my cousin realizes what he´s doing to me and beats the crap out of him. Yeah they're not friends anymore. Sexism sucks.

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#54

I am someone who is very aggressive and I love to hang out with the boys. But one day my friends were tired of me hanging out with the boys so they decided to spread a rumor that I had been a male all along and changed my gender since I was a pervert (which im not) And to my surprise everyone bashed on them and not me.

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#55

Unfortunately I can’t remember the first, but I do have one I’d like to share. My grandparents came to visit and at the airport as they were leaving, and we were saying goodbye, my grandfather shook hands with my twin brother. I figured it was either a military thing because he served in Vietnam or just lack of affection because he’s never been one to really show emotion. But when he came to me, when I held out my hand to accept the handshake, he shook his head and said, “No, we don’t do that with women.” And he pulled me in for a hug. Suddenly it wasn’t so sad seeing him head off to the plane.

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#56

When I was about 12 we had auditions for the annual play. About 30 boys tried out for the lead role and me. (I'm a girl). I got the part and was teased endlessly about it - at first. But when I got on stage I nailed it - didn't forget a single word and acted my butt off. The play was "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and I was The Grinch.

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heidisvenson avatar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, this is a really weird synchronicity - was going through old boxes and came across this picture and just have to add it to my post above ( re: me being the Grinch at 10 yrs. old or whatever I was... pic of one of the rehearsals....ack! I had forgotten about this picture but now that I see it all those feelings of humiliation come flooding back! (Not embarrassed about being on stage at all, just never liked seeing myself in photos). Anyway..couldn't help sharing it since it came up so recently...so weird... Me-As-the-...356c39.jpg Me-As-the-Grinch-circa-1980-1-606108e356c39.jpg

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#57

Many may not consider this sexism but I had a Male teacher who would only let half the class leave before the rest. Most often he would let the girls out of class first. He never once let the boys out first.

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depressePANcake
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m a girl and whenever anyone says “girls first”, I’ll just stop until they go ahead of me. They look at me weirdly but I don’t want sexism to become the norm.

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#58

I didn't know there was sexism in my life till now. But there was. I was just not aware that was the title. As a preteen, I developed seemingly overnight into a woman. I was a stand out among my peers. The older boys took abundant notice. Which caused me to retreat into my own private world. PTL, for my fear.

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#59

I (around 7) wanted to play with some Transformers but was told they were for boys only.

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#60

Sorry, for posting on this twice, but can we talk a little bit about dress codes. I am lucky to attend a school district where the dress codes, are very lax, and not inforced. But I do remember from a summer camp I went to, that girls were required to wear one piece bathing suits. I didn't really think anything of it then, but know that I think about it, it is pretty clearly sexist. Boys didn't have any "special" swimsuit regulations.

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~*Zodiac lover~*
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whenever I go swimming I wear shorts and a big t shirt because they are more comfortable I get weird looks sometimes but I dont mind

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#61

I was 3 and our kindergarten teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. At that point I said I wanted to be in the police force. Cue every boy in that class and most girls saying I couldn’t be a cop because I was a girl. That dream died quickly.

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Sophia Atkinson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i once said i wanted to be an astronaut and the kids cheered but my preschool teacher said you need to be a man to do that. jokes on her because i told my mom and she told the teacher off and that teacher is not there anymore.

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#62

I asked a customer if he needed help (I work at a car dealership). He looked at me with disgust, demanded a male colleague and told me to get him a coffee, since this is my job being a clerk. I'm a chief assistant, scheduler and accountant and I sure did not bring him a coffee.

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#63

PLEASE READ TILL END!!! I PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH YOUR TIME.

Well my family is complicated, so I live with my stepmom and Dad. My biological mom is a drug addict and not in the picture. Because I am not my stepmom's kid, she treats me differently than her kids. My life is completely controlled by her because my Dad is ALWAYS on her side. So the beginning of this year I decided to speak up. I had always had done a lot of the chores in the house, so that was the first thing I would change. I told them how I felt about it, and my Dad left to go in the garage because my brother needed him, and my stepmom stayed. She said she isn't going to change any of the chores because it isn't my brothers' job and they are too young (they are 10 and 8, I started all of my chores at 9, a year after I moved in). She told me that it was a woman's job to clean, cook, and take care of the men in the house. I called her sexist, then she went around and told my dad that I called HIM sexist. And nothing changed. So for about two months I gave them hell; I didn't put all my effort in my chores, didn't walk their dogs for as long as they wanted, etc. A couple weeks ago I tried to move back in with my biological mom, but they said that they would really change. They said my brother could start vacuuming and stuff. So I stayed. My brother did It for a week. I now still do about everything. And they wonder why I want to move out. All of this is really hard on me. Please give me some advice on what I should do, and thanks for reading.

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Jack Centner
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that you should gather your stepmom and dad (and possibly even your mom) and tell them how you were doing all of the chores and that your brothers are old enough to start working around the house. If your stepmom replies saying that girls are responsible for everything around, mention that she is acting sexist (also keep your dad in the conversation so that he doesn't wander away and she tattles on you again) and that boys should have as much hardship as girls have (when it comes to cleaning and cooking and stuff like that). Also when you are old enough, get a job. This can say to your parents that you are becoming a young woman and would like to start choosing your own responsibilities. This is coming from a boy who believes that sexism is one of the worst types of discrimination on Earth.

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#64

When I was 8, my class teacher asked for four strong boys to carry some chairs over to a different room. Also, recently, in my video class the teacher (middle aged M) would never pick me and my friends who were the only girls raising our hands but always take the boys who had already answered like 5 questions. As if that didn’t kiss me off, he also called the two boys “his nerds” because they’d answered all the questions. I get exactly the same grade as them.

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Deceased Nemo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate it when teachers say strong boys because it always made me feel left out, some teachers do it nonchalantly because it is what is normally said, we need some teachers to say strong kids instead

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#65

Being told by my grandfather that household chores were women's work, and finding out that my grandmother who, in the 60 years she had been living in the US, had not been allowed to go swimming, because my grandfather wouldn't allow it.

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#66

As a boy, I got made fun of by girls for being super short and fat. They said "Your so short and fat no one will ever date you and my boyfriend is 5'11 and has a 6 pack and also why are you crying? boys aren't allowed to cry" yeah I know that I'm a boy and will never experience the sexism females experience. Just wanted to share

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Sophia Atkinson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hey, its fine. sexism happens everyone and happens to a lot more than you think and though the sexism we go through is different, we´re in this together

#67

I didn't enjoy wearing leggings as a kid and love love loved jeans (still do) and someone told me I shouldn't wear jeans because they were for boys

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#68

Now really my FIRST time, but this just ruffles my feathers. It also doesn’t really matter, compared to the rest of the encounters, but I though it would be worthwhile to note. My problems is simple:
FEMALE BYLETH.
Byleth is part to fire Emblem: Three Houses, and can be both male and female. You can also rename them to whatever you like. However, the Male Byleth counterpart is completely covered. You can only tell his skin color because he doesn’t wear a full mask. He wears clothing that fully cover his body, not showing anything neck up. However, female Byleth has similar armor, but shows skin only in the areas that down need much covering. (See photos) She has armor showing her bellybutton, her upper breast, arms, and see through, fishnet like stockings. They design her like this, yet literally almost all the other characters (females included) dress reasonably for the entire story (Unless you change their class, but that’s a another story.) It just makes no sense why they design her like this, considering the rest of the characters are absolutely covered. Who designed that armor? Who would want their stomach showing in battle, even if a little point? Armor needs to cover the whole chest, torso, and other torso! And having leggings like that makes you an easy target for arrows and swords, as they don’t provide any protection! It just gets me cringe to think of the impractical design and lack of proper protection. Plus the fact she wears 2 inch shorts that show her upper thigh, but I don’t know whether that and the upper breast are that offensive.
Sorry it’s so long, I just have a lot to say about this for whatever reason. Impractical armor in games just messes me up.

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#69

Does it count if I say I can't come out to my dad as an enby because whenever the Non-Binary spectrum is mentioned, he gets really angry?

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#70

I’m 13. Lucky for me, I haven’t experienced all that much sexism and my parents are so supportive of my dreams of becoming a politician and playing sports and stuff. But the boys at my school just don’t let the girls play sports with them, and if they do it not like we even have a chance to youch the ball. It’s really annoying.

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DangaTank
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At our school, everyone plays games together and it's so FUN!

#71

I used to bring a Thomas the Tank Engine lunchbox to nursery and all the kids would tease me because Thomas was for boys and I was a girl so I’m not allowed to like Thomas. I came home crying and didn’t want to bring the Thomas lunch box any more. I went back the next day with a hello kitty lunch box

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#72

my mom insists i wear pink because im a girl but i HATE pink and i really want to wear boys clothing but my mom just screams at me because i shouldnt act like a wild boy and should be more like a girl. they don't let me do several things my older brother could do at my age because I'm a girl.

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#73

When I wan in preschool I wanted to be an engineer and I told the class that I got bullied for 3 weeks after that for being "to much like a boy" now I want to own my own software engineering company and be president and i will go through with it. It made me a better person in the end because it motivated me to be better than those bullies but still really annoying.

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Deceased Nemo
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#74

The time this guy on the bus stole my Rubik's cube, mixed it up, fixed it, then demanded 20 dollars for his work. I went to a teacher after this and they told me, "Boys will be boys."

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#75

Not sure if this counts, but:
In my Computer Science class (which I loved) I was the only girl in the class, and that was the only computer science class in the grade. For reference, there were about 24 kids in my class and one hundred sixty in the grade. All my other friends had taken something on the more artsy side like drawing or dancing. I just kinda wish that a few other girls had taken the class as well.

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#76

In my old school there is a subject that is called; go girls. it is an only girl subject and its like a motivational subject. BUT THERE IS NO BOY ONE! like half of the year level is missing out on a subject option!? why.

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#77

A boy (my “friend” at the time) slapped me and my friends bootys when we where waiting in line. We where at a elementary school. In the 2000s.

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#78

In middle school (I was in 7th grade) I played tennis. My Tennis Coach would always ask for a boy to carry the water cooler. One day, I volunteered only for her to say no because "guys are stronger than girls" so in return I asked her why I was ranked higher in tennis than more than half the guys. She ignored me and walked away.

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Audrey Rasmussen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

look it up men are biologically stronger than women because of how their muscle mass can grow faster and is part of their puberty just like how women get periods(I am not saying it is okay to say this I am just saying that there is a reason some people say this and you should simply say that they are not completely wrong but also say that it is sexist)

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#79

In middle school (I was in 7th grade) I played tennis. My Tennis Coach would always ask for a boy to carry the water cooler. One day, I volunteered only for her to say no because "guys are stronger than girls" so in return I asked her why I was ranked higher in tennis than more than half the guys. She ignored me and walked away.

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#80

Sorry for adding twice but so let’s say my name is Quinn and I’m female so I walk into my new school plus class and I sit down when I say my name most of the boys shout:”THATS A BOYS NAME!!” I speak up for myself........ first time at the principal office (THANK GOD I DONT HAVE A SEXIST PRINCIPLE)

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Kirbi
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quinn is a really nice name! Also, f*ck those boys

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#81

Back in 1986 when leaving school I applied for an apprenticeship in bricklaying. I was told pretty much word for word that as a girl I was not suitable as bricklaying was a job for a man. They would however, allow me to do an apprenticeship in painting and decorating.
Not realising I could have called them on this, I accepted. Within weeks I was carrying 30ft ladders on my shoulder and learning to erect scaffolding.
Sometimes I wonder what the difference was between carrying bricks and carrying other heavy stuff.

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#82

Where to start... When I was 4, I announced to my parents that when I grew up, I wanted to be a boy. Why? Because boys could be doctors, and lawyers, and engineers...anything they wanted when they grew up. Boys could play sports, climb mountains, and wear anything they wanted (I was only allowed to wear dresses, which I hated). My parents raised me with the mantra that I should grow up, graduate from a good college, so I could find a good husband, get married and stay home to raise kids.

There were so many instances of sexism in the years since, and still happening, but the one thing that still makes me bitter was when I was 30, my husband had been out of work for over a year, and I was the only one supporting us and our son. I worked at day shift at an animal hospital, and a guy worked the night shift. Christmas bonus comes. I get a gift certificate for manicure. He gets $1000 because he has a family to support.

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#83

Not use if this was exactly sexist, but it made me kind of uncomfortable. My choir teacher was a boy, and he was teaching us about fractions (because of half notes, quarter nots, etc.). He was using a pizza as an example. He said one of the boys in the class had a pizza, than one of his friends came over. That friend was a boy. Then two more friends came over. They were also boys. Then when he chose four girls (I was on of them), they weren't friends, they were flirty and girly, and they boys invited them in.

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#84

As I guy, no real experience with sexism except having to attend the annual sexual harrassment training. I used to work on a government project, and evertime I changed contractors (4 in 6 years) I would have to endure the speech by the same person frpom EEO. An the story would be more exagerated each time. First time it was the woman getting a back rub. The final time it was up to she being shoved against a wall and practically raping her by shoving his groin against her ass.

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