It can be easy to fall into the trap of forgetting that the other half of the population lives a very different kind of life. The things that you might do without a second thought can, at times, be completely out of the ordinary for someone else.
So one curious internet user asked, “What is normal to men but weird to women?” and netizens shared their best examples. From prison-cell-like living spaces to simply never asking questions, get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites, and be sure to add your own thoughts and examples in the comments section below.
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Not getting details. Case in point: One of my best friends wife had a baby. I swung by the hospital on my lunch break, congratulated him, and left.
That night, I told my wife they had the baby. It was a boy, and the name. She started asking all this other stuff, length, weight, time, etc, and I had no idea. Didn't bother to ask. Baby was good, Mom and Dad were good. I thought I had covered the bases.
I wouldn't think to ask about any of that either. It's not my baby🤷🏽♀️ but congrats!!
Accidentally walking behind a woman at night and quickly going to the other side of the road or slowing down to create distance so you don't seem like a creep.
Did this last night, crossing throu a big apartment complex, there are routes to cross it in less time, she was about 15ft in front of me. After taking the same path for 5 minutes y redirected and took a longer route cause I was feeling creepy.
Several years back, my wife and I moved abroad. Our first Christmas back in the US we had separate guys/ladies nights to catch up with our old friends. When we got back that night she was able to give me an update on everyone because for the past few hours they just sat in a circle and took turns talking about their lives. When she asked me about the guys, I responded "I dunno, we just ordered pizza and played video games".
Me and the bros have been friends for like 15 years... I think we have a total of 3 pictures together haha
Not having any real friends to support them through tough times.
This is particularly true of boomers - I hope it won't be the same for my generation. As I watch my parents and their friends get old, sick, and die, I see that none of the men visit each other in hospital or even know why their "friends" are sick. My mom and her female friends spend their days checking in on and taking care of each other. But when a husband gets sick, there is no one except their wife to take care of them.
The only exception in my parents' friend-group was the gay male couple. They had a community of gay men supporting them.
Being scared of randomly being accused of being a creep in public, possibly even reported, even though you're just minding your own business.
No, I'm not staring at you, I'm thinking about a certainly relevant scenario about how I would fight off a random armed bank robber right now and my state of mind is "Where am I going again? Oh, look, a bunch of ants. Nice."
My dad used to drive to a park on his lunch break, eat his lunch then lay his seat back and take a short nap. He was reported to the police because they thought he was "watching the kids". He wasn't even facing the playground. If I (female) did the same thing I doubt anyone would've thought anything of it.
That side step to unstick your nutsack.
Being friends with someone and knowing absolutely nothing about them
To fix this: Knowing absolutely nothing about them that someone else thinks is normal to know.
The one who gets roasted the most is probably our star of the group. We insult because we love.
This one is very true. Generally, blokes only take the pįss out of people we like.
stopping to pick up a good stick
For me, it doesn't just stop with picking up the stick. What follows is stick becomes lightsaber in my head and whoosh, whoosh, imaginary Stormtrooper falls XP
Having no decorations whatsoever.
True. I've never understood the appeal of just having stuff everywhere.
Deciding to do something and leaving the house 5 minutes later to get it done.
Using shampoo, conditioner, body wash and face wash from the same bottle
Body hair. It’s fine for men to have hairy legs, armpits, etc., but everyone loses their mind if they see a woman with body hair
Nodding to other random dudes on the street, and getting nods back in acknowledgement
Going literal years without any sort of physical contact
This shouldn't be normal. Deprivation of touch is a problem, not a normal.
Idle mode, literally not thinking of anything for a short period of time
How is that possible?! I’m a guy, and my brain whirls endlessly.
Strapping something down and saying “that’s not going anywhere”
Well, if you don't say the magic words, you're definitely going to lose it.
Not having to constantly worry about waiting on line for the bathroom/finding a bathroom
I'm trans, and not many people know that. It gives me a very unique perspective in life of having acclimatised to both men and women social norms. A major difference is that men and women gossip, - but differently. When girls gossip, it's about "who did what, when, how, and *the audacity*" and when men gossip, it's one guy saying "this guy is a s**t c**t, ay." And other guys going "yeah." If I treated either in reversal, men would be put off by it, and women would be wondering *why* I don't like them over the fact that I just *don't,* women need reason, context. Forgiveness is different too. Women are so much more understanding, but rarely forgive once a line is crossed. Men might just not like you over something petty. Buy him a beer or make his life a little easier and suddenly you're not so bad anymore. "He's still a s**t c**t, but he's not that bad" Men aren't better drivers, they're more decisive ones. Women are more cautious, which can slow reaction time when they're accessing the situation. Men leave much more to instinct. Often in each other's eyes, men are reckless, women are too slow. Neither are necessarily right or wrong. Being "gross". Men in men-only environments don't tend to think much about spitting, sticky taping wounds, adjusting their junk, farting, burping, not washing their hands as often as they probably should. There seems to be a lot more group forgiveness that "yeah I do that too, it's normal." When women are together, you still don't hear them ripping one and congratulating each other.
SPITTING ON THE SIDEWALK. WHYYYYY DO THEY DO THAT
Actually a crime in most parts of London (by-laws). And rightly so IMO.
Been working out at a local gym for half a year with 3-4 guys . Don’t know their names. Don’t plan on asking.
Sleeping on a mattress on the floor with no sheets and only one flat yellow pillow.
Maybe in my early 20s but I have so many pillows now. I love my little nest.
I have cried once in the last 15 years and it was when I watched my father die 12 years ago. I don't 'try not to cry,' I just don't cry. My wife and my 7 sisters have very clearly informed me this is, uh, not their normal.
Don't know why you got downvoted Ray. Apparently some people think men shouldn't display emotion. Have an upvote from me.
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actually, you might try seeing if you have Sjögren’s syndrome: This is an immune system disorder often accompanied by dry eyes and a dry mouth, which can make it difficult for a person to produce tears . . . or . . . Keratoconjunctivitis sicca: This condition is often referred to as “dry eye” syndrome. It is when the tissues around the eye are inflamed and dry, and can make people unable to cry . . . . . . There are also many many reasons to "I don't cry" for men, Please don't assume that we are all the same that every man can or can't cry, Sometimes it's a painful reason like me
I'm a female and I don't cry. I do it on purpose because I hate crying so I haven't cried for years
Their normal is not everyone's normal. I'm a woman, and for the past year I've cried maybe 3-4 times, and they were quite literal life-or-death situations.
Yeah I don't buy it. I cry at good emotional scenes in movies. I cry when I remember a beloved pet that died. I cry at a good book. Crying is normal.
I only cry when I get angry. Decades of my Dad yelling at me(his daughter) that tears were a weakness and an invitiation to get picked on because you are showing people you are WEAK meant I can only cry now if I am about to lose complete control or I've injured myself. Rest of the time, if its around real people, the tears won't come though I can cry if I'm watching a movie, providing no one else is there. I didnt cry at all at my Mother's Funeral after I got berated and humilated by Dad for crying at Granddad's funeral. Then I was called cold and hateful for not crying for Mom. He was in floods of tears and all I could think was, you're a hypocrite. You never cried for anyone else and berated me when I did and now you're doing it and berating me for not. Double standards would like a word I think.
A sad part in a movie might give me the sniffles; a pretty song at church can choke me up.
I was holding my youngest son in my arms when he died. Since then, I don't cry anymore either. And yes, I am very much a woman. Sometimes, situations and the following changes to a person's life whether it be grief or carelessness or recklessness or hypersensitivity..... change the very fiber of a person's being. No one should ever be judged or made to feel less than because of.
Can empathize. My 20's and 30's this was me unfortunately. It's hard to experience gravitas, if you distance yourself from tearing up.
I grew up in the time when men don't cry. I can't cry. Not like I don't, but I just can't. Last time I cried was when we put our dog down. It last a few minutes, was ugly, and it was difficult for me to get started. Our other dog had died on the way to the emergency vet a few months before, and I didn't cry. I think the last time I cried before the dog was maybe 10 or 15 years ago. I told my son that no matter what people tell him, crying is healthy and normal for everyone. It releases a lot of built up mental pressure. It helps you to deal with things. He should never be afraid to cry. I've never asked him if it worked.
I appreciate a man that isn't afraid to show his emotions. S**t I think it's hot! If you're a man unafraid to be human then the more power to you!!! You shouldn't be treated like you're less than a man because you're showing your HUMAN emotions, or are men not human?
How often do we tell little boys "Big boys don't cry" then wonder why there are guys out there who brag about never crying or worse can't express emotions when something intense happens or mocks a man who does cry when something intense happens I have seen so many guys get really hateful about another guy tearing up on his wedding day when he sees his bride or when he holds his baby for the first time. imagine fighting yourself to not express yourself when you hold your baby for the first time It just seems so sad
I'm a woman and I don't cry in front of other people, my best friend on the other hand, cries cause it's Tuesday
I am a teenage female and if a particularly sore spot isn't touched, I ain't crying.
I don't ever feel bad about or try to suppress crying. I feel better afterwards.
I tend to be cold in that sense. PTSD & all. Deaths in my family were just another day. I felt so bad about not feeling bad that I apologized to my family. I got scolded. When the rest of the family was falling apart, I was the one still able to function & take care of things. That is a great benefit actually. I do cry at weird times over different things. I will take what I can get.
I cry all the time. My son’s gf and I sob over everything while he and my wife laugh at us.
I think we cry for different reasons, or maybe we just need a reason. Women don't always need a clear reason. Watching an emotional movie, or when a beloved pet dies, for instance. Also, any guy can tell you that it's the toughest, hardest athletes that cry the most at their retirement press conference.
I get this. I think the closest I've come to crying in a long while was when my grandfather passed. That was a couple of tears and done. I keep seeing people post about onion ninjas and I swear I've never seen them, to damn good at their job or I'm just being skipped.
Not "normal " for them, perhaps ,but not everyone feels the need for a public display of emotion.
When you walk behind a woman up the stairs you truly evaluate the architectual design and thinking that went into them by looking down
these are some beautiful m***********g stairs, man I gotta applaud whoever designed these, they're pretty nice. the steps are perfectly spaced, the color is immaculate, and oh I'm at the top now. bye stairs!
Periods of silence. Sometimes you chill with the boys and just enjoy the moment. No words, just drinking, gaming, smoking, etc in silence..
Walking alone at night to "clear the mind", as men usually say. I wish I could do that!
Walking around outside topless.
This is more a cultural thing. Go to Polynesia, a topless woman is not shocking there. Also, it's about comfort. I for one would rather wear a piece of garment that holds thight my stuff, even in a context where I can take it off.
Never venting about your day
That's just being polite. Why force other people to listen to a bunch of whining and complaining, there's no need.
Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Many of these are what leads to men (like myself) saying they hadn’t seen any signs before their friends suicide. We need to talk to each other if and when we’re feeling low! Too many young men die at their own hands, and in so many cases it’s entirely avoidable.
i totally agree. there is so little support or room out there for simply talking about what they're going through, and as someone who's had a close friend almost die of suicide, that really needs to change. Simply being able to reach out to one person who you can actually talk to can save your life. Guys, please let yourself be that one person to someone you care about.
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hmm mostly sexist nonsense that applies mostly to western societies.
As a guy I can say like almost none of these r true. Like, esp the ones abt emotions a lot of those r untrue
Many of these are what leads to men (like myself) saying they hadn’t seen any signs before their friends suicide. We need to talk to each other if and when we’re feeling low! Too many young men die at their own hands, and in so many cases it’s entirely avoidable.
i totally agree. there is so little support or room out there for simply talking about what they're going through, and as someone who's had a close friend almost die of suicide, that really needs to change. Simply being able to reach out to one person who you can actually talk to can save your life. Guys, please let yourself be that one person to someone you care about.
Load More Replies... hmm mostly sexist nonsense that applies mostly to western societies.
As a guy I can say like almost none of these r true. Like, esp the ones abt emotions a lot of those r untrue
