“Being the emotional support for everyone.
Here’s what some people had to say:
1.
I learned to hate my body at a very young age.
Girls tend to doubt their skills and not take risks in opportunities because they think that they arent qualified.
(Again, its a generalization that I saw in my own experiences and as a teacher).”
u/vchapple17
3. u/sipyloidea
4.
“Being sexualized from infancy.
Being treated like an infant in adulthood.”
u/dinosaurinapartyhat
6.
“Not being able to display youremotionsand still be taken seriously.
), they can express anger and have it taken seriously.
For women, it’s immediately dismissed as hormonal/PMS/stereotypes (e.g., ‘angry Black woman’).
If we express sadness, see above.
If we express a legitimate concern (especially medical), it’s dismissed as ‘anxiety.’
Women/girls aren’t allowed to express emotions without societal repercussions any more than men/boys are.
u/serkonan_plantain
7.
“The day you realize that little boys are treated better than you.
I didn’t want to be a girl when I was little.
I truly hated being a girl.
I didn’t want to be a boy, either.
I didn’t have gender issues.
I had society issues.
It took a long time to realize that my being a girl wasn’t the problem.
The problem was that every successful person we talked about was a man.
The other was that little boys could physically assault little girls, and no one cared.
The other was that girls had to play nicely and sit nicely because of our clothes.
The realization that being a girl means moving through the world so differently is devastating.”
“The tragedy of womanhood.
As a child, you believe you have an innate worth as a person, equal to everyone else.
u/darthmelonlord
9.
“Never being allowed to fail/be bad at anything without it being blamed on my gender.”
u/zizsya
10.
“Danger can be everywhere around the corner.
I remember everyone telling girls how they have to be extra conscious.
I was always getting tips on how to protect myself.
I grew up in a safe country, but it was an issue.
I know you have to be careful, but do you know how tiring it is?
It makes me anxious, and I am 31 now.”
u/snootomatoes1117
12.
“The constant mixed signals like the speech inBarbie.
Be smart but able to be dumb at a moments notice.
Have an opinion but not THAT opinion.
Like your body, but dont say it out loud.
Always criticize yourself out loud but not just for attention.
Be successful, but acknowledge all the other people who helped you even if they didnt.”
“Are you eating that?
Why arent you eating?
Cry, but only when someone else thinks its valid.
God, youre a cold bitch.
Dont you have any emotions?
Know everything all the time, but dont let anyone else know that you know.
Youre such a follower.
Youre too independent, you know that?
I could go on and on and on.
u/far-stretch9606
13.
“The expectation of marriage and motherhood.”
“The first thing that popped into my mind was simply the things I wanted to do.
Girls don’t box.
Girls don’t play baseball.
Girls don’t do karate.
u/thruitallaway34
15.
I only just recently, at 40 years old, started listening to women singers and loving it!!
Weve been here all along, kicking ass in the background.”
u/rangerjenn
16.
“Being sexualized before I understood sexuality.
We are either slut shamed or called prudes.
We are either too thin or need to lose weight.
We either wear too much makeup or not enough.
It’s never-ending.”
“Being the emotional supportanimalfor everyone.
Girls are expected to shoulder a lot of emotional load/burden and to do it quietly without expecting anything back.
Boys are supposedly not mentally capable or too good for it so the adults unloaded on me instead.”
u/heelsbythebridge
18.
“Feeling like I was supposed to be pleasant and agreeable at all times.
u/rebekah_rodeup
19.
“Having to justify my hobbies and interests.
Just on earth to make babies and cater to men.”
But you’re at home and want to leave the post-hole digging to your brother?
‘You have two hands and are able-bodied; go out and work”.
It’s been super weird to make sense of as an adult.”
u/tankedinatutu
22.
“My endometriosis sucks pretty bad, haha.
I think female conditions and diseases in general are just being under-researched or dismissed.
u/corumdrum_mania
24. u/abovepostisfunnier
25.
“For me, dealing with the cattiness.
Something happens to girls after the age of 10.
Something changes, and theres an abrupt switch where friends start turning on each other, and theres backstabbing.
Its like the movieMean Girlsbut far worse.”
Its freaking work just to look mid.
u/busytiredthankful
27.
“Periods and boobs.
It felt like I had no control over my body.
Worse is that I got my period and started getting breasts early, like 10 or 11.”
A lot of traditionally feminine traits are deemed undesirable, weak, and vain.
It took me literally decades to get over that.”
