Even though we can, at almost any time, Google everything in the world, there is still no way to surpass lived experiences. So, for example, if you are a man, you have no idea what it’s like to live as a woman. Fortunately, one can always ask someone about their life to learn a bit more.
Someone made a post, asking “Women: What is a struggle that women have that men will never fully understand?” and netizens shared their thoughts. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote the posts that you relate to or that taught you something new and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.
#1
Living in a country where politicians force women to give birth and never even mentioned the responsibility of the father.
Image source: je_prends, Aditya Romansa
#2
Periods. Hormones. Unsafe at night (sometimes day time too). Unsafe to travel alone in some countries. Unsafe to meet strangers on dating apps. Expected to clean and cook for 2 or more people every day. Being told by doctors it’s normal to be in pain. Medical standard doses calculated for men and not women. Opinions and feelings often ignored in family talks or at work. Seatbelts calculated to bring optimal safety to men’s bodies but not to women’s. And a few more things.
Image source: mogow_, Jonathan Borba / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#3
That a man’s uninformed opinion is always taken more seriously than a woman’s lived experience
Image source: eris_hacks_art, Eric Gilkes / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#4
The unspeakable fatigue of being a women. The hormones, the vigilance, the fear, the need to do things to be seen, heard, paid, acknowledged on that same platforms as men. The expectation to nurture, pander, care, remember, remind and source for everyone else. I’m. Just. So. Tired.
Image source: jo_of_the_crone_age, Pixabay / pexels (not
#5
The feeling of knowing exactly how to solve a problem but knowing that the man in front of you doesn’t accept answers from women.
Image source: drskyeakbar, Kaleidico / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#6
Exercising with a big chest absolutely sucks. No sports bra really works once you’re over a DDD. Imagine jogging with a two one-liter bottles of Coke strapped to your ribcage. My husband went for a run shirtless today, and I can’t even begin to imagine how effing amazing that must feel.
Image source: jennymatternlalich, Anastasia Shuraeva / pexels (not the actual photo)
#7
Not a struggle but gripe.Men are SHALLOW. Many guys look for sexual accommodation without a psychological connection. Guys have demonstrated the inability to mentally satisfy me so I CANNOT ACCOMMODATE sexual desires. Sex would bore ME without a connection that is “meaningful to ME.” I do not care that you like what you see. Looks mean nothing to me nor does the size of your ego when I’m mentally turned off. It’s not hard to understand but when you’re shallow, it is..
Image source: prettynpink9, Velizar Ivanov / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#8
Fear. The fear that passing a man while alone on a dark street could lead to a sexual assault and/or death. Not to mention the fear when it’s a group of men.
Image source: salentipy
#9
We live in a world that hates women.
Image source: littlelotusblossom, Carolina Heza / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#10
Life really.
Growing up with choices limited, being groomed constantly, put down, leered at, groped, puberty, periods, period pain, pms, gynae problems, medical dismissal, chronic illness, gaslighting, mansplaining, sexual abuse, sexual assault, ‘the biological clock’, body shaming, pregnancy, pregnancy complications, childbirth, childbirth complications, post-natal depression, breast-feeding, doing it all again 2 years later, miscarriages, autoimmune illness, career damage, inequality..
Image source: hookawoolly, Zhivko Minkov / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#11
Perimenopause.
Image source: circlekaye
#12
That women have to “fight for rights” to be human
Image source: majah5
#13
The way we are expected to do everything to placate men. Be pretty, but not so pretty you look unapproachable. Wear make up, but not so it looks like you’re wearing make up. Don’t earn more than men because that’s emasculating, but don’t ask men for money because that’s gold digging. Be smart, but not smarter than men. If you don’t go to the gym you’re lazy, but if you do you’re just attention seeking. It goes on…
Image source: melaniejane384
#14
You must be beautiful. But not so beautiful you look like you are trying to get attention.
Image source: daretodream1215, Artem Maltsev / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#15
Lack of pockets.
Image source: mariejanz10
#16
Autonomy of our own bodies
Image source: tsunami_hartless, Motoki Tonn / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#17
Being in a relationship and doing the bulk of the physical work and ALL the mental work. Getting groceries when they’re almost out, getting everyone to appointments, practices, recitals on time. Shopping for clothes or shoes when the kids need something. Men weaponizing their incompetence so they can get out a particular task.
Image source: erikaincalifornia
#18
Being fearful to reject a flirty advance out of safety concerns.
Image source: ballsacks888, charlesdeluvio / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#19
Not being able to fight a guy off
Image source: kimberleypidgeon, MART PRODUCTION / pexels (not the actual photo)
#20
The full body changes our bodies go through when creating a tiny person.
The horrendous pain things like PCOS and Endometriosis put us through, the second being so serious of a disease that we can d!e
The fact that the female body has not been closely studied in the medical field even though professionals are fully aware that we are not just small men.
Image source: riathewolf, Go to Anastasiia Chepinska’s profile Anastasiia Chepinska / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#21
The struggles with feminine health and fibroids..If men only knew the hell fibroids can wreak on our bodies, and how delicate the female reproductive system is, I’d like to think they’d be a little more understanding
Image source: tamekataylor2176
#22
We can’t say no without giving a “reasonable” answer. No is a full sentence. Also, “I don’t want to”. Same. Don’t need reasoning. We don’t need to explain ourselves so man feel good about themselves. For example, I won’t say, sorry, I don’t want to be with you because you’re so great and something is wrong with me. I’ll say, I don’t want to. That’s it.
Image source: pa.n.ka
#23
Thinking about going for a countryside walk alone to get more exercise but deciding not to because I am worried that a lot of the walk is out of public view and what if someone attacks me?
Image source: deancorner
#24
I mean, America Ferreras entire monologue in the Barbie movie.
Image source: murrayinmaine
#25
The salary difference. Women can be in the same position and still earn less.
Image source: _its.me.casey_
#26
Bodyshaming, fatshaming, lookism. I do not know any man who is as self – conscious about the way his body looks as the “most attractive” woman. One more thing… The constant fear of getting pregnant unintendedly even if you use birth control.
Image source: mystorycastle
#27
Constant fear of violence & abuse. We have to be HYPERVIGILANT about who we allow in our lives. Bc even ppl who pretend to be good can actually be abusive.
Image source: rising__renewal
#28
Having to prove your competence at work, sometimes for months or even years before people begin to take you seriously.
Image source: ksmithcliff
#29
Buying clothes that are for your body type.
Image source: thatstonerpeach, Cam Morin / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#30
A constant fear of being attacked…not being able to walk alone at night…being concerned going to a car in a parking garage, getting out drinks drugged at a bar…and on and onand on. Nevet really being safe, simply for being a woman.
Image source: barilynn8
#31
Feeling guilty your entire adult life for going out of the house not wearing a bra.
Image source: susielovesart, Klaus Nielsen / pexels (not the actual photo)
#32
Doctors ignoring pain, the weight obsession and how many mammograms resulting in callbacks for further tests.
Image source: zengerlep
#33
Men acting like they have any idea what it’s like to be a woman with a 28 day (sometimes longer) hormone cycle! There’s literally 4 phases where each phase, our dang hormones fluctuate & sometimes we literally feel like we are losing our minds. They think we are just being dramatic. It’s not just the cramps, bro. It’s 28 days of it all. Men have a 24 hr cycle, THATS IT. It would be lovely if men would do some research on how the woman’s body works.
Image source: shelbyy.elliott, The Jopwell Collection / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#34
That we are viewed as objects in a mostly man ruled world. As well as the fact that our image has everything to do with the way we are viewed as existing creatures, instead of just humans.
Image source: makizideann__, Rafaella Mendes Diniz / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#35
Fronting up to work having just had a miscarriage
Image source: janev_10, Marissa Grootes / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#36
Being able to be ambitious, have a demanding career and children. Somehow that’s expected from men, but women are bad mothers when they want the same.
Image source: joycd, Magnet.me / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#37
Finding job when u are 20-35yo. If u don’t have kids they assume that u will start a family soon. And they don’t want to pay for your maternity leave. Even if u tell them u don’t want kids…If u have small kids then they think u will be at home all the time because kids are ill very often. In both scenarios u are not hired. They rather choose man
Image source: jmiklova2
#38
Being surrounded by men is a constant threat.
Image source: vivre.leclaire, Keira Burton / pexels (not the actual photo)
#39
Sneezing on day 2 of your period.
Image source: esthersfabrics
#40
that you do not get the same opportunities and exposure as men but also have to be SIGNIFICANTLY better than them to be acknowledged. make it make sense.
Image source: sentrixworld
#41
The patriarchy.
Image source: heatherburnsmitche
#42
Listening to your husband tell you how silly you are for taking safety precautions instead of locking the door when he leaves.
Image source: heatherburnsmitche
#43
For people who are in the situation where it’s remotely possible to unintentionally get pregnant, the worry that you might have gotten pregnant.
And sometimes when you’re absolutely sure you’re not pregnant, you’ll decline an alcoholic drink or mention your period is running late, and someone will accuse you of being pregnant.
Image source: juliacrancourt
#44
Living in a women’s body in this world.
Image source: mamatsui_, Engin Akyurt / pexels (not the actual photo)
#45
The fact that because we are attractive to men, they think they can get us to do/say/be anything for them. And they will treat us well until they get what they want, and then it’s like we never existed.
Image source: aspenmasch
#46
Cramps
Image source: cuckoomom11
#47
Loss of sexual desire.
Image source: jaimerebeccagreenberg, Ba Tik / pexels (not the actual photo)
#48
Being attracted to your number one predator, then being shamed for being weary of them.
Image source: martina_ec, Anthony Tran / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#49
How they are the biggest threat we face all day everyday
Image source: feliciamcdaneld
#50
pregnancy & periods.
Image source: partywithkenziee
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