There’s a simple prompt made by one @justme that made quite a splash on Twitter.
It went like this:
https://twitter.com/jestme/status/1337011538473877505
The answers are revealing. And I think they’re well worth looking at, ESPECIALLY if you’re not a woman.
Guys – like me – can often feel this knee-jerk defensiveness when women try to express problems unique to them. Which is very strange, and needs to be fought against.
Let’s start by just, yanno, reading and listening for a minute.
12. Walk alone
And worry the whole time.
– When alone, I walk with my keys grasped between my fingers, in case I need to use them as a weapon.
– I’m often told my ambition is well and good but it’s unnatural to not want a marriage and family at my age.
— Bansari Kamdar (@BansariKamdar) December 11, 2020
11. What’s success?
Both are great – but there’s more available in this world.
My worth as a human being reduced to a “successful” marriage and my willingness and ability to bring a child into this world
— Ishu (@DimpledJalebi) December 11, 2020
10. Too emotional
The Kyles of this world are out here punching drywall tho.
On occasions, I have held back from tearing up during very tough days at work, because I am afraid I’ll be judged; & not to give anyone a chance to frame me as “emotional”. For Other folks who fist bump a wall or use profanity, it is be just another tough day! ?
— rashmi (@ArghWii) December 11, 2020
9. Where do you think you’re going?
Pretty sure he’s a big boy.
My mom asked me to put this out here: who’s going to take care of your husband when you travel?
— Not-Fiction (@startafresh4) December 11, 2020
8. Seriously, where?
It never ends.
Who takes care of your kids when you travel?
— Vani Saraswathi (@vanish_forever) December 11, 2020
7. Stay away
I always wonder who I might accidentally be intimidating.
While walking the streets, I have to move out of a man’s path. Always.
— Dipti Nagpaul (@diptinagpaul) December 11, 2020
6. Taken seriously
It’s important.
My professional achievements are measured by my gender and not because I deserve the recognition because of the hard work, dedication that I have put in
— womensweb (@womensweb) December 11, 2020
5. Default cook
My mom eventually stopped doing this and just said “go find your own.”
It was actually really helpful.
If everyone forgets to cook, I gotta
— Rohini Mohan (@rohini_mohan) December 11, 2020
4. Prey and spray
Imagine always feeling the threat of attack.
https://twitter.com/BhumikaTyagi5/status/1337266445739122688
3. Getting downplayed
Believe it or not, education, intelligence, and the ability to read the news aren’t male-exclusive areas.
What would I know about politics, economy, current affairs or anything for that matter ?
— Riddhi Singh (@badassbrownmom) December 11, 2020
2. Playing nurse
Why is that the assumption?
If anyone from the generation above or below me falls sick in my birth family or marriage family, I have to take off from work to nurse.
— Elizabeth Seshadri (@lizsesh) December 11, 2020
1. The list
That’s a lot to take in all at once.
-Always beating myself up for the smallest of errors.
-Walking that razor thin line between being a full time working woman, and a mother
-Guilt eating me up most of the time
– Always the first one to reach out, check in, apologize et.all
-multitask like crazy. exhausting. ?— Shruthi (@nonstopbakbak) December 11, 2020
It’s a lot to think about.
What about you? Can you tell us you’re a woman without telling us?
Try in the comments.