Love + Sex

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

6 Stereotypes Men Have About Women (Stereotypes Part II)

As a continuation of the previous post, here are some of the stereotypes that guys have about women:


Women are crazy.

I tried for a long time to make sense out of women's actions and statements.
Once I accepted that women were "crazy," (many older guys had insisted they were for years) it seemed to take a huge load of pressure off me. No longer was I trying to rationalize moves that women made that got me into crazy analysis cycles. When I just throw it all out the window and dismiss it as "crazy," it makes it easier to deal. We don't really think women are insane, we just say it so we can be done thinking about their antics and move on.

PMS makes women angry.

One time when I was working at a caf over the summer in college with a guy and a girl who were friends of mine, the girl was clearly cranky early on morning while she cut bread. My friend and I, always eager to annoy her, swooped in. Eventaully my buddy said what every guy has said at some point in his life:

"Uh oh, Rich, must be that time of the month."

She turned to him, brandished the bread knife in his face and said:

"GET A LIFE."

But sometimes when we've done wrong or want to make sense out of why a girl is mad at us, we try to blame it on possible PMS. Honestly, sometimes a woman's anger does look hormonal. I have said something to a girl one day that she laughs at, but then a week later she bites my head off when I say the same thing. But I've learned not to make things worse by suggesting that she's PMSing.

Women want to settle down.

Guys keep a close tab on their friends and how much pressure they are getting to marry their girlfriends. We also notice our friends that are girls who seem to panic as their girlfriends get married one by one. So, guys are very sensitive to the fact that women want to settle down and are more vocal about it than guys. There is even a biological argument: guys sometimes assume that women want to have children more than anything, especially as they get older. We meet plenty of women who don't project that they want to settle down, but we assume most women really want to settle down.

Women are impractical.

The day after Christmas, my sisters, mom, and nieces packed up the car and went shopping with their gift cards. The guys in my family could think of nothing worse than smacking up the mall the day after Christmas. I have four pairs of shoes: ranging from casual to dressy. My sister had about ten boxes of shoes when I helped her move. Who needs all those shoes? You get the point-sometimes we look at what women like to do and we just think it's impractical.

Women don't understand sports.

Luckily, I grew up with two sisters who were Division I college athletes and my mom is still obsessed with the Baltimore Colts (they left Baltimore in 1984).

Gossip Girl

http://outsidetheboxuk.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/gossip-girl-teen-telly-for-the-facebook-generation/

So, I know women love sports. But are they as obsessed with sports like guys are? I read about sports every day, and go over stats. And I do find myself telling my sisters about University of Virginia and Boston College teams-where they went to school. There is no reason women wouldn't understand or know sports like guys do if they were as obsessed. I just think guys across the board are more sports obsessed than women are.

Women like bad entertainment.

When I come into the apartment and my sister is sitting there watching Real World versus Road Rules challenge, I implore her to lower the volume. I can't stand to hear those people speak. I love History Channel and Discovery Channel and important sporting events. My sisters love Us Weekly and websites like OMG. I like to read Wikipedia and read about music. Well, maybe I find Gossip Girl strangely intriguing when my sister is watching it, and I like Us Weekly too. And sometimes I get stuck watching terrible Lifetime movies for hours...OK, maybe everyone secretly likes all this stuff.

What are some of the stereotypes that men believe about women that bother you? Did I miss any, and do you think any might be truer than others?


Posted by Rich

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Comments 1-10 of 62
  • martza's Avatar
    Posted by martza Wed Jan 7, 2009 10:24am PST

    wel i think men and women think some of these are true and not true.. like me PMSing does make women angry its a fact! n impatient and agresive.. and..., but not all women are crazy some men are psycho!, not all women watch crappy entertainment, i would say some men do, and not al women are impractical,some men are! and women do undersatnd sports i know many who r like num 1 fans of footbal teams and basketbal teams...and they dont always want to setle down they dont wont to b tide down anymore dat was bak in the days!. women now a days r independent like wat they like and do wat they do cuz they can! these stereotypes shouldnt excist cuz they r fake like men shouldnt cry i think a real men is the one who is himself even if he cries!

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  • Rae's Avatar
    Posted by Rae Wed Jan 7, 2009 10:26am PST

    The only stereotype I keep running into is guys thinking that because we hooked up that I want to get married, clean up after him and have his babies, when my tubes are tied, I have been divorced longer than married and he had to ask me 3X to make it to the alter in the first place. The one person I actually wanted to marry was still married, kept denying it and I waited 3 years for that crazy mess, and so I have determined that really, single is the best way to go, allthough I am a magnet for already attached guys. I keep myself insured enough to be buried when I am dead and leave something left over for the kiddies, anything more would just be bonus rounds. Oh and I keep getting calls from *De Azz man* who wants to marry me every time he drinks, if you have been following my storys in any way you will get diz.-Rachel.

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  • beautifully's Avatar
    Posted by beautifully Wed Jan 7, 2009 11:00am PST

    The only one of these that fits me is the not understanding sports thing. I tend to think and behave in ways that are stereotypically masculine. I saw more of myself in the male list than this female one. I always say I have the best of both worlds, think like a dude but have the body of a chic. lol.

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  • Chrystani's Avatar
    Posted by Chrystani Wed Jan 7, 2009 11:50am PST

    Men make women crazy...

    It seems like I'm always typing that sentence on here, but its the truth.

    If men weren't like the stereotypes that you just listed in the part 1... We wouldn't be crazy.

    I do agree with most of these though. Especially... No wait ALL of them.

    Maybe no the bad entertainment thing though.

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  • DeadlyPoison's Avatar
    Posted by DeadlyPoison Wed Jan 7, 2009 12:02pm PST

    Yes, I agree we are crazy, but that all ties in to PMSing which is the craziest part of our crazy cycle. We get cranky when it's that time of the month, but try dealing with backaches, menstrual cramps, sore breasts, bloatingness, and all that good stuff don't forget hormones! which makes us really crazy and cranky.

    I think another sterotype that men have on us women is if we dress really provacative like a low cut blouse or mini skirt it means that we're out looking to get some. Sometimes we just want to look nice for the heck of it doesn't mean we want to get some or that we're easy. That's one I can think of.

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  • kizzy's Avatar
    Posted by kizzy Wed Jan 7, 2009 12:23pm PST

    this stuff sucks.......

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  • Robyn's Avatar
    Posted by Robyn Wed Jan 7, 2009 12:40pm PST

    I think that for the most part, most of us are a little "crazy." And yes, we are hormonal. Even if "we" don't want to admit it. I am very hormonal and have found that I was in denial about it for years. Now that I am older, I know that I am and I try to steer clear of too many people when that time comes. But I also try to let my guy know how I am too so he can be prepared. I am not in control of my frustrations and I don't realize it until it is too late. But it is part of our biology. Poor men for having to deal with it...but hey! blame Adam.

    As far as us being impractical, we feel the same about you men. I know comprehension of why men can't ever find things even when you give them directions. So we women have to go get it for you and I just don't understand!

    I LOVE sports...I obsess over sports, and I went to law school to be a sports agent. And I am not worth much on Saturdays or Sundays because I will be watching football.

    But for the most part I think you are dead on with your stereotypes and mostly we fall into those catagories. But there are a few of us who don't.

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  • fake_sky's Avatar
    Posted by fake_sky Wed Jan 7, 2009 2:11pm PST

    Stereotypes are a plague. They may indeed be true in SOME cases, but are never the norm. I don't like to be judge based on them or act on it. I'll give anyone a chance to show me what they are truly like.

    To address your 6 stereotypes, here we go:

    1. People in general are crazy... no distinction!

    2. PMS does make women angry, it's just the biological burden. Even if you don't want to have kids, you gotta live with it because it'd be worse to have your ovaries taken out!

    3. No, I don't want to "settle down" or be the mother of a grown man and then the mother of actual kids. No, thanks.

    4. Some people are, i will tell you that. I personally like to be as practical as possible. I often go out of my way not to bother others.

    5. Generally true. I personally was a big fan of pro sports. I stopped following most when I found the one I truly liked: baseball. Then stop following that one because it seemed to me like I was caring too much about it. I do enjoy them from time to time and wouldn't have a problem with a sport marathon on a Sunday. Hey, I used to watch 4 straight baseball games on my prime!

    6. Again, some people do, others don't. I personally loathe any type of reality entertainment and sappy/superficial/over the top stuff like, say your example of Gossip Girl. Give me something to think about like that new show: Fringe. That show is amazing. I'm a big fan of sci-fi, to be honest

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  • E's Avatar
    Posted by E Wed Jan 7, 2009 2:46pm PST

    Everyone who knows me says I'm a dude in a chicks body. I HATE The Notebook and shopping. I'm a nerd, so I'd rather play a mmorpg. I hate most of the stereotypes, because a majority of them don't apply to me. I'd much rather have a good steak then a box of chocolates. I also think fart jokes are so funny. But me being like this makes me like men more, because I have the personality of a typical one. I always says there's a reason I'm not gay, because dudes are so cool.

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  • Nose's Avatar
    Posted by Nose Wed Jan 7, 2009 2:48pm PST

    It was George Carlin who said: "Here's all you need to know about men and women: Women are crazy, men are stupid. And the main reason women are crazy is that men are stupid." I love that!!!

    And yes, hormones, whether they are caused by PMS or menopause, do make a woman appear insane. And when men are clueless, that drives a woman even more crazy. I think women are more romantic and in general we don't care for sports. I also scream like a banchee whenever I see a mouse or cockroach (the flying kind especially) in my house. I'm technically retarded and don't like the latest electronic gadgets as most men do. And I'm not great with maps or directions, but I'm getting better. I like shoes, but like shopping for books more. I hate lame tv shows and love CSI (Las Vegas), the History channel, and discovery channel. Don't like romantic commedies at all. I do like to wear eye makeup but not fuss for hours putting myself together and I hate high heels.

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