Women Are Sharing 30 Widespread Myths About Themselves That Are Not Only Incorrect, But Also Infuriating

Do you ever wonder how much better people could communicate and be empathetic towards each other if we didn’t treat men and women like completely different species? It’s a cultural weakness that causes people to not only assume they already know another person’s intentions or feelings just because of their gender, but even to limit themselves and their friendships with people of their own gender. And so much of it could be solved by asking people questions and listening to what they have to say in their own words, instead of going by rules that some “relatable” comedian said or that you read in a teen magazine in 2005.

Then there are all the anatomy misconceptions, of course. So much of that could be solved by not being squeamish about sex education.

We recently posted a list of the myths about men that bother them the most. Now we’re back with women’s answers to the same question, as answered in this Reddit thread: what myths about your own gender are the most untrue?

#1

That we don’t need pockets in our friggin clothes.

#2

That being a feminist means you think women are better than men or that you are a man hater.

#3

I just think people misunderstand why women’s bathroom lines are so long, its not because we’re all vain – it’s because we have to sit every time unlike you and wipe and it takes a lot longer & some women have to get undressed to do so, also not even to mention how time consuming periods can be.

Annoyingly enough, there are undoubtedly still people out there who are convinced that women never say what they mean and don’t know what they want, who could listen to the women in their lives tell them otherwise in the most straightforward manner possible and walk away believing the same thing because their misconceptions support themselves. But for anyone who does want to listen, well, keep scrolling, because here’s a whole thread of women’s answers.

#4

That we all love shopping. I friggin HATE shopping.

#5One that infuriates me in particular:

That I, a WOMAN in science, am intellectually inferior to my male counterparts. The notion that my “wittle girl brain” surely can’t comprehend the complexities of my field is completely unfounded.

Please. I science like a boss!#6

The whole god damn “oH yOu’Re mAd? yOu mUsT bE oN yOuR pErIod.” especially when it’s coming from a guy that easily gets angry at the dumbest things and can’t control his rage.

As usual, anatomy misunderstandings are a category so large that it could be its own list. At best, they lead to embarrassing conversations with friends and SOs, but at worst, we end up with lawmakers making real and dangerous decisions about women’s healthcare based on them.

#7

That as little girls we all dreamt about our future wedding. Not all women want to get married or actually enjoying attending weddings.

#8

We pee with our vagina.

#9That because you don’t like another woman it’s only because you’re jealous. Listen, I can hate a woman because of something she did or said and in no friggin way be jealous of her. She may be just dumb and why would I be jealous of that?

Disturbingly, one recurring theme in the thread is that women were not taken seriously when reporting medical problems. It’s a phenomenon that’s the product of several misconceptions, like the belief that debilitatingly painful periods are normal, as one commenter with endometriosis says was a barrier to getting a diagnosis, or the belief that women’s health complaints are overblown and driven by anxiety in general.

#10That we enjoy being catcalled and it makes us feel better about ourselves. Seriously, stop that s**t guys, we don’t like that at all, it just scares most of us, especially people like me with PTSD and social anxiety.#11

That my husband handles fixing s**t around the house. No, he’s completely lost with that stuff. The tools are mine, I painted all the walls, I landscaped the garden and flower beds, and that grill is mine too. I do the barbecuing and I LOVE it! My husband fixes all the electronic stuff and picks up the heavy stuff while I make inappropriate comments about that tight butt.

#12It doesn’t infuriate me but I was always confused by the stereotype that women are afraid of blood in general… Like what do you think we deal with everything month??#13

That women are irrational because of their hormones. The irony is that some men make excuses for their behaviour because testosterone apparently makes them unable to control themselves.

#14

every women is the same. that we all like the same things. that every period is the same. every child birth is the same. that if one woman says periods hurt and one says it doesnt, one of us has to be lying. that if one woman’s childbirth is easy, the rest must be faking it or weak.

#15

Maternity leave is basically vacation. If you’ve ever experienced the exhaustion of carrying a child and the intense body changes that occur during and after delivery, you’ll find out that maternity leave is necessary for recovery and is not a vacation. Try working with a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th degree tear while now trying to deal with a baby that needs to feed every 2-3 hours.

#16

That it is mandatory for all women to shave or trim every single hair on our bodies. No. Not mandatory.

#17

That housework is our responsibility.

#18

That we mean the opposite of what we say.

#19

Every time I throw up or say I feel nauseated, literally since I was like 16, the FIRST thing someone jumps to is “are you pregnant?” Like we can get sick without it being because we’re knocked up.

#20That we’re only supposed to like rom-com movies. Someone once told me I’ve quite a masculine movie collection- wtf?#21

I frequently come across the notion that women (unlike men) automatically have this social network they can rely on for support. Boy I wish that were the case.

#22

All women want/need children.

#23

That everything we do is to attract men. From wearing revealing clothing, to wearing makeup at work, to gaming…hell, apparently even the “not like other girls” types who abstain from and denounce things associated with attracting men are accused of…doing it to attract men. After awhile it just feels like a bunch of projection, whether from women who are insecure about their ability to date, or men who interpret anything they’re attracted to as being tailor made for them. Also, while I do think that we have a sort of privilege over men in terms of being able to cry and show our emotions, I also feel our emotions aren’t taken as seriously. As another commenter noted, were basically never allowed to be upset about anything, and are always labeled crazy/hysterical/irrational/dramatic. I’ve seen a lot of confusion among men involving the concept of venting, ie “Why would you tell me your problem if you don’t want a solution?” The reason why is because we don’t need a solution, often times we already know what it is. What we need is to be listened to, to be comforted and told that it’s understandable why we feel the way we do, when the rest of the world just tells us to calm down or to smile more.

#24That girly-girls are dumb, annoying, don’t know when to shut up, can only be a stay at home mom. Like I can like pink, shirts, dresses, and still box you, be a lawyer, and have varying personality traits.#25

That we’ll buy anything if it’s pink. Pink guns, pink staplers, pink calculators, pink camo… ugh.

#26

That the more sex you have, the looser your p**sy gets.

#27That we can just “hold” our periods. Do you honestly think we would still need feminine products if we could do that?#28

Nearly everything about endometriosis. It is sorely misunderstood, reasearch is underfunded, and terrible treatments get used all the friggin time when they dont help and make things worse. Its a hidden debilitating disease and i hate the misinformation spread about it. There IS help out there and legit treatments.

#29

That if a woman is running for office, all women must be voting for her.

#30

I’m sure its the same for men but: Gift giving. I’ve had so many guy friends ask me what to get their s/o or sister or mother because I am also of the female gender. Ummm, get to know them and give them something based on what they’ve asked for or actually like? We’re not all the same. There is no generic Female Gift. We are different people with different likes and tastes.

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