These 18 Things Are Always Looked Down Upon Because They’re Associated With Women, And It’s Beyondddd Irritating

Sexism is embedded in every aspect of our society — to the point where things women enjoy are seen as less than. So when Reddit user u/dilettantedebrah asked women to share the things that are looked down upon simply because they are associated with women, they had plenty to say:

1."Teaching. We certainly don’t respect teachers the way we should — it shows in the way we pay them, how parents treat them, etc. I think if it were a male-dominated field, the outcome would be much different."

2."Gossip. Men gossip as well, but it’s mostly associated with women and looked down upon. Gossip isn’t necessarily always a bad thing! So much of what we know about the past is from conversations between people."

—u/Responsible_Raisin

3."Romance novels. They dominate all book sales across genres, and yet they're still regarded as a subpar form of literature."

—u/plantylibrarian

4."Self-care rituals like baths, candles, aromatherapy, and general relaxation activities."

5."Nursing careers. The field is dominated by women, and I believe it's one reason we are traditionally paid peanuts, expected to do more than the laws of physics will allow, and blamed if anyone else gets angry or emotional."

—u/whitepawn23

6."Yoga. People think yoga is easy because women do it until they try it."

—u/PetitPied21

7."Wearing a dress. If a woman wears men's clothing, she's 'practically dressed' and most people don't even give it a second thought. But if a man wears women's clothing, it's not really seen as socially acceptable. Clothes associated with women are seen as degrading and humiliating for a man to wear, while clothes associated with men are acceptable on anyone."

8."Makeup or just caring about appearances in general. It’s always looked down upon as frivolous and is used to belittle women. However, society has a certain expectation of female beauty."

—u/j4321g4321

9."Skincare. I’ve noticed men have a tendency to make fun of women who have extensive skincare routines, but I don’t get how taking care of your skin is feminine."

—u/celestialyssa

10."Boy bands. There's nothing wrong with One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, or BTS. In fact, they're all wildly popular because their music is very good. However, because their fanbases consist of teenage girls, people believe the only reason they're popular is the way they look."

11."Ballet. A lot of people think it's a really easy dance, but it’s actually very hard and requires a lot of muscle strength."

—u/Ok_Bread123

12."Smiling. You're seen as more masculine if you don't smile."

—u/roadsideweeds

13."Cheerleading. It requires an insane amount of stamina and acrobatic skill. It's practically a circus art, but people associate it with ditzy women, so they never take it seriously."

14."Sex workers. Men created the need/want for the industry, but women are constantly shamed for taking advantage of that."

—u/jakit27

15."Expressing discomfort or complaints. People will respond to complaints with phrases like, 'Stop your bitching!' and 'Man up!'"

—u/Hot_Farm_9443

16."Being single and middle-aged. These women are portrayed as Bridget Jones types — lonely, desperate, and trying to trap a man. Meanwhile, middle-aged men are suave, single by choice, and living some luxurious bachelor lifestyle. Women can be single by choice too and live glamorously."

17."Astrology. It’s harmless fun, but people get so riled up about it because women like it. We have not proved the existence of the gods in mainstream religions, yet people are still obsessed with saying how dumb astrology is."

—u/Lo-fi-fox94

18."Fruity alcoholic drinks or wine. I was buying a bottle of wine and I felt so awkward because all of the other men in the store were getting whiskey or vodka, and here I was with a 'girl' beverage."

—u/agaren

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.