Do girls really have it tougher than guys?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
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<p>@NO295208, are you a guy? Because I get stuff like that all the time too; most girls just assume it’s normal. I can’t count how many times I’ve been told that I’m too smart, too confident, too independent, or too focused. I’ve been told that it’s “weird” for a girl to challenge boys academically, athletically, or otherwise. Every day I hear that I’m “too smart for my own good,” and that I need to “relax” and “not be all hard to get,” and it doesn’t seem to matter that I’m not interested in the guy who’s making those remarks.
This isn’t meant to be super conceited, but I know I’m decently pretty and have an athletic body. For some reason, though, many guys seem to take that as license to make obscene and degrading comments every time I’m around them, and they’re not shy to say it to my face. I just want to walk into a class or down my street without being harassed and made to feel like an animal for sale. Of course not all guys are like that, and two of my best friends are guys, but a lot of them seem like they just don’t have any filter between what they think and what they say.
These comments are usually annoying or rude, but they can cross the line and become genuinely intimidating. I’ve been followed in parking lots, outside malls and movie theaters, and through soccer parks and it’s straight up creepy. When my friends and I walk in our town, cars filled with guys will slow down in the righthand lane and yell things at us for literally blocks. In that situation, I never know if I should just ignore it and hope it’ll go away or say something and possibly make it worse. I’m not helpless or weak, but I know that I can’t win in a confrontation with a guy. Sometimes the football players at my school will sneak up and grab me by the arms or the waist and I seriously can’t get away no matter how hard I try. I just hate feeling looked down upon and less deserving of respect than a guy.</p>

<p>Okay, end rant. Whew. And I live in Southern California too! Maybe it’s just here.</p>

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<p>Walking down the street is the WORST!!! Once, 16 cars honked at me and my friend walking to get smoothies. 16! And some of them shouted some pretty rude comments… </p>

<p>I wonder if less attractive women get more respect in terms of being treated more like a person and less like an animal? Because obviously attractive girls are the ones harassed most of the time. Does being an attractive female automatically make some people think the only thing you have to offer is your body and your looks? Do you think it makes a difference, or would they just be treated worse?</p>

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<p>Same here.</p>

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<p>^^I know! Soulmate! ahaha
People assume I’m stupid when they see me; they’re always surprised by the classes I take and the grades I get. I think it makes a difference, though, but in the other way: that it’s even worse for less attractive women. I don’t want to come out and say that there’s a direct causation, but there is a clear correlation between women’s looks and their relative success in their careers. So while it’s bad now, it could always be worse.</p>

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<p>I would disagree and say, yes, but iff the children can be provided for. If a family decides that the man should be the one to stay home to take care of the kids while the woman goes off fighting - that is fine by me. Granted, there are still issues with this, the main one being that, if allowed onto the front line (and if there is an arbitrary cut-off), women would still be underrepresented by mere virtue of the fact that they tend to be physically weaker.</p>

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<p>I will reference one of my previous posts. Chivalry is sexism hiding in disguise. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with being chivalrous to another, but if you’re being chivalrous to someone solely because she is a woman? Yes, I believe that to be sexist. If you’re being chivalrous just because you want to be? Be my guest.</p>

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<p>Oh yes, definitely. In general, the more unkempt you look, the less people will ogle at you. :D</p>

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<p>@coachella23: No, it’s not just SoCal. I’m in the NE, and I get exactly the same thing. Fortunately, even though I’ve ended up in predominantly male math/science classes, I’ve been taking this level of coursework (and outperforming most of the guys XD) for so long that they’ve laid off of the nasty comments. Sadly, I’ve also been verbally harassed by some of the more intellectually deficient specimens at my HS because it is apparently amusing to pick on the Girl Nerd.</p>

<p>I’m not at all pretty or at all athletic (does three years of field hockey count?), and I’ve still had craploads of guys who don’t realize 1) that I already have a boyfriend who’s intellectually challenging and respects me and 2) that wolf-whistling, attempting to grope, or making crude sexual innuendos is NOT a good way to get someone to enjoy one’s company who have attempted to do all manner of inappropriate things. </p>

<p>I have had people tell me that I am too smart, too good at math, too assertive or ambitious or *****y to be like most girls. I had, on a notable occasion, a male peer (or not quite), who suggested that I was sleeping with my violin teacher to get him to like me. Never mind the fact that I spent hours upon hours each week practicing until my fingers are raw, or that I’d proven my worth time and time again in auditions and competitions. It’s galling because I know for a fact that my male counterparts don’t get the same treatment.</p>

<p>Some people have brought up affirmative action, which is not invalid. If only I weren’t an ORM (Chinese in math/sci)–the effects of gender-based affirmative action are miniscule compared to the disadvantages of race-based AA. Pity.</p>

<p>So yes, women do have it worse than men in many cases. Not as bad as, say, the 1930s, but we’re quite a ways from equality.</p>

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<p>@Coachella: Really? You think there is a correlation between appearance and success?. Wouldn’t intelligence trump appearance in the end (as it does for men, the nerds tend to be the boss later in life)?</p>

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<p>^^It’s like we’re only supposed to succeed as long as we’re slightly below the best guys. The sleeping with the teacher is really bad though, I’ve never heard that.
So I was in class today walking to my desk and this stupid jock grabs me and pulls me onto his lap and wouldn’t let me get up! I was pushing him and getting reallyy ****ed off but he was just laughing. Oh and so was my teacher, like it was so funny.</p>

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<p>I’ve never had a problem with anyone being sexist besides joking around. I don’t think that is present here in good ol’ New York. Anyone from NY feel free to correct me lol.</p>

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<p>^^^I think that for guys, appearance plays less of a factor in the judgment of one’s competence. Maybe this is an exceptionally biased field, but there are far more many less-attractive mainstream male than female actors. Even in movies when the male lead is a total loser, the girl is still always cute and pretty if not necessarily beautiful.</p>

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<p>I didn’t actually mean Bill Gates. I was just using him as an example of someone whose respect I would value. Basically, the way I see it, if I respect you, then I value your respect.</p>

<p>Superficial was not really the word I wanted to use there, but I couldn’t think of a better one. My point is that I think we should all generally put a little less stock in public opinion.</p>

<p>I view honking at a woman to be fairly harmless and actually somewhat complimentary. Once you start shouting things, though, that’s generally too far. Following is just creepy.</p>

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<p>As someone who recently registered for selective service, I can honestly say that I think the draft is a good idea. It is very rarely utilized, and I would rather be forced to defend my country than be caught in a war in which we were undermanned.</p>

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<p>Honestly, yes. That is the gut reaction of a lot of people. Don’t start complaining about being attractive now though. Less attractive people (both male and female) have it much worse than the attractive ones.</p>

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<p>Eh. Surely, there are exceptions to the rule, but to try to include them makes tons of extra expense. It’s a much better bet to just take the men. They’re far less likely to be single parents. In the case of two parents, they’re more likely to be the less involved one, and They’re much more likely to be suited for service in infantry.</p>

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<p>In general, I disagree. It’s all dependent on motive. Are you being chivalrous because she’s a women and she’s weak, or are you being chivalrous because she’s a women and you want to be nice?</p>

<p>Also, there’s certain “chivalrous acts” you can do for a woman, that you can’t do for a man. If I see a woman shivering, I can offer her my coat, even if I don’t really know her. If I do that for a man, it’s just weird.</p>

<p>Edit:</p>

<p>I saw a study recently that basically that both men and women are judged based on appearance. After chatting with someone for 15 minutes, their opinion of that person (intelligence, likability, etc.) directly correlated with the person’s attractiveness.</p>

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<p>I think I get discriminated more for being quiet than for being female.</p>

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<p>Men can pee standing up.</p>

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<p>Women can pee standing up. It just gets messy.</p>

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<p>Men have opposable thumbs.</p>

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<p>Yes, I do wish I had a ***** at times. </p>

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<p>But what if you’re a a relatively unattractive woman? Then you’re screwed. So many ugly men can get really pretty wives if they have enough $.</p>

<p>Generically speaking, men are typically intimidated by high-power women, and wouldn’t want to feel inferior in the relationship.</p>

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<p>Oh noes, the woes of being attractive!</p>

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<p>women have opposable thumbs…</p>

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Well, actually, she wouldn’t be screwed. That would be the problem.</p>

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<p>pics or it didnt happen lololololololololol</p>

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<p>You can’t use a camera without opposable thumbs, so no answer is an answer.</p>