Women on Reddit have been sharing the highs and lows of daily life that they believe most men are unaware of.
While some of the responses are humorous - from clothing dilemmas to awkward bodily functions - others reveal a far darker side to life as a female.
From casual belittling to sexual harassment, here’s what they had to say.
“Discharge. Sometimes there’s hardly any, but sometimes there’s that big glob that appears at the most inopportune time.”
“How much time we spend being uncomfortable in public because a strange man is staring at us. And avoiding being catcalled.”
“Lack of pockets in clothes. My husband is technically aware of this but still seems surprised when it comes up.”
- steggo
“How fucking common it was to have older men try to pick you up as a teenager. Once I hit puberty it was not uncommon...to have a much older guy pull up in a car, ask you how you were doing and if you needed a ride to get to where you’d want to go.”
“That periods aren’t just liquid blood like when you cut your finger. There’s tissue and clots too. You’ll just be standing there chatting and suddenly, ‘oh I just felt an alien slug slither out of my vagina, BRB.’”
“That there are a lot of times you don’t feel safe. Parking lots, bars, etc. Avoiding assault, sexual or otherwise, is in the back of every woman’s mind. Especially when you are alone in an unfamiliar place.”
“How complicated it can be to get dressed. Not one bra does the job for all tops. Got a white shirt? Then you need to wear a nude coloured bra lest the colour shows right through and people talk to your chest. Got a black shirt on? It can look bad when your white bra strap slides off your shoulder. Got a racerback tank on? Then you need an entirely different bra. Got a strapless dress? Yet again another bra. Working out? Yet another bra.”
“Unsolicited dick pics. Some men are aware of course, but I don’t think people are aware of just how often it happens. I’m not on any dating sites, I get them on Facebook from complete strangers.”
“Judgement and social politics of skincare and makeup.”
“Using a mirror to inspect your vulva/lady bits.”
“Being constantly reduced to a walking womb, especially by male coworkers who are just trying to make small talk. ‘When are you going to have kids? You have a husband and a house and you’re not so young anymore...’ God Jeff, I’m just trying to heat up my lunch here.”
“How often you feel the need to not be rude at detriment to yourself. I’ve been sexually harassed and not reported it because ‘I don’t want to cause a fuss’. I’ve been pressured into sex because ‘well what did I expect if he invited me over and I came?’. I’ve been passed over for opportunities because ‘I don’t want to fight too aggressively for this I’ll come off as a bitch...’ etc etc. I’ve learned to step up for myself now that I’m older but I know many young women that are still afraid to. It’s sad.”
“How often, in professional meetings, a woman expresses an opinion or states a fact, to have it ignored or negated, then later the identical thing said by a man is offered full validation. It is utterly dehumanising, which I think is the intent. I am a subspecialty surgeon with 30 years experience.”
- twanas