When God created earth, she made sure to give women enough strength to fight for their rights. You might have noticed I didn’t say “he.” And that, right there, was a very deliberate act of micro-feminism. It’s a term that’s become popular in recent years, as women all over take control with small but meaningful acts of resistance that laugh in the face of toxic masculinity and gender inequality. Many women have caught onto the fact that a little can go a long way. And instead of big shows of defiance, they’re adding daily dashes of micro-feminism to their ammunition.
From holding the door open for a man, to using “she” when the gender of a person in power is not known, or refusing to move out of the way when a guy is in their path, women have been sharing the clever ways they support each other while schooling those that need to be taught.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best acts of micro-feminism shared by people online. Keep trolling. Err, scrolling, upvote your favorites, and feel free to add your own ideas in the comments section below.
#1
When I shake hands with men I act surprised and comment on their firm handshakes.
My husband does my favorite though. He’s a pretty typical looking manly guy but I handle all the car stuff. Sometimes he’ll take the car for an oil change and when they try to upsell he’ll tell them “oh my wife just ordered filters – she’ll change them.” Or “my wife changed the spark plugs a few months ago, they’re good.” Or “oh I don’t know, I’d have to ask my wife she knows more about cars.” He says their reactions are priceless.
Image source: flojopickles, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#2
Every time a man interrupts me I interrupt him back and firmly say “I wasn’t done talking”
not sure if that counts as micro but they are very shocked every time they immediately get interrupted back. Acting like they didn’t just f*****g interrupt ME lmao.
Image source: eugeneugene, Vitaly Gariev / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#3
If I’m in a group and a man repeats what a woman said like it’s his idea, I’ll say, “Yes! Just like *she* said ” or something like that.
Image source: j_silva_sp, Alexis Brown / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#4
I’ve taught my sons to clear the table at big family-in-law dinners and help in the kitchen. I also throw shade at my husband if he doesn’t get up off his a*s. The best part is when it’s a small dinner, my father in law will be sitting there alone with no one to talk to.
Image source: 359dawson, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#5
When making presentations at work I always use images of women for engineers, scientists, construction workers, etc. I try to use no images of men at all.
Image source: TemperatePirate, National Cancer Institute / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#6
When a man looses his temper at work I always say “you’re so emotional “.
Image source: msbizzaro, Malachi Cowie / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#7
Offer to take pictures of moms and kids and just moms. When my mom died, there weren’t many recent photos of her because she was always the one taking the pictures.
Image source: blipblewp, Wesley Tingey / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#8
Okay mine is kinda lame compared to the other ones. But I write novels with great female characters who will not take s**t from men 🤷🏻♀️.
Image source: ScarletStained2007, Yunus Tuğ / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#9
“I went to see the doctor today”
“Oh yeah, what did she say?”.
Image source: onegirlandhergoat, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#10
I teach and if my kids say ‘policemen’ or ‘firemen’ by default, i explain to them why ‘police officers’ or ‘firefighters’ should be used instead. I also gently correct any stereotypes that come up (e.g. if someone says ‘boys shouldn’t cry’, i’ll explain that we’re all human and it’s perfectly natural and healthy to cry when upset). I hope these little lessons stick, even if it’s in small ways!
Image source: jessaiee, National Cancer Institute / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#11
Pads and tampons proudly displayed in bathroom. What if guest needs one?
Image source: GreenGlassBeads, Kateryna Hliznitsova / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#12
At trivia, whenever there’s a question about sports and doesn’t reference a specific league, I’ll ask if it’s men or women’s sport instead of assuming that he’s talking about the men’s league.
Image source: MasterpieceSafe8774, A. C. / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#13
Whenever a man pisses me off I donate 10€ to an abortion charity.
Image source: biodegradableotters, Vitalii Khodzinskyi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#14
In group settings at work i always ask men to take the notes.
Image source: locomon0, Adolfo Félix / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#15
* Playing “Patriarchy Chicken” when walking in public places.
* Firmly asserting my space on airplanes when a rando next to me tries manspreading.
* Continuing to speak when a man tries interrupting me — I act as if I can’t even hear him — and taking my time to finish what I was saying.
* Always addressing envelopes with the woman’s name first when sending cards, etc.
* When at gatherings such as holiday parties, I don’t drift off to the kitchen or go into automatic service mode for the men.
Image source: tinypill, Krzysztof Hepner / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#16
Dude who was taking care of my dog now and again was rather sexist and condescending, so I stopped going to him and sent him a message explaining exactly why. Caused quite an inconvenience for me but I had to stand on principle.
Image source: BrackenFernAnja, Mesut çiçen / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#17
I don’t smile/laugh at inappropriate jokes (often by older) men make. They usually are surprised and start explaining the joke and in doing that confronting how inappropriate it just is.
I think this does 2 things:
– have them think about the subject of the joke itself
– shakes their confidence. And probably they start thinking more before they speak.
Image source: theDarkOne95, engin akyurt / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#18
Ms
I am ‘Ms’ irrespective of my marital status and have been since my late teens.
Image source: yeah_another, Ivana Cajina / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#19
I like to tell guys that I like their top.
Image source: GenXer76, Abdullah Raafat / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#20
When I’m out at a party always looking out for girls who are alone. One time I clocked this girl who was standing by herself and didn’t look comfortable so I talked to her and brought her to my group of friends. We need to look out for each other 100%.
Image source: independent_pickle7, Ecaterina MD / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#21
If anyone judges me for getting medical advice from the internet I remind them that women weren’t included in medical trials until the late 1990s.
I have filled my brain with feminist facts.
Image source: Knower-of-all-things, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#22
If a man proudly asserts that he did something that women do every f*****g day as a matter of course (childcare, meal preparation, laundry) I exclaim ” Way to go! Just like a Big Boy! Good for you!”
If any man around me refers to household chores as “helping” I say “you meant ‘taking care of my living space like a grown a*s man, right?'”.
Image source: austxgal, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#23
Not a woman but it irritates me to no end when one of the first things people say about my partner(wife) is how pretty she is.
I’ll using reply back with something like “their name, is really smart and funny too.” She is really pretty but that’s not why I decided to spend my life with her.
I also just introduce her by name. She’s a person not a possession and our relationship status and its social title is not a defining attribute.
Image source: VertDaTurt, Daiga Ellaby / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#24
Wherever I get a cold, I go upstairs to bed without giving my husband a heads up for doing chores first. Just like- oh man time to rest. And I come down when I feel like it. Works for him, so now it works for me.
Image source: thenewestaccunt, ManuelTheLensman / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#25
I hand the man the to go box to package up their food and not the woman at the table. It’s almost funny how befuddled some men get.
Image source: Soundoftulips, Dan Burton / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#26
Getting my tubes removed at age 30. I’m not playing games with that s**t.
Image source: happy_chance18, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#27
This is really minor, but when talking to children about nature, I use she as the default pronoun. That dragonfly is so fast, where do you think she’s going? I saw a raccoon outside, how far away do you think she lives? Etc, etc.
Image source: ratastrophizing, Brooke Cagle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#28
Never moving on a sidewalk if a man is in my path.
Image source: goddessthrownaway, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#29
I tell my students to “woman up” when they need to show resilience!
Image source: Belle0516, Tim Gouw / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#30
Tell a man “he’s brave” for sharing his opinion, especially when it’s mediocre.
Image source: procrastin80r, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#31
When writing letters to married couples I always put the woman’s name first.
Image source: wrapped-in-rainbows, Kateryna Hliznitsova / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#32
I won’t let the people around me refer to grown women as “girls.”
“But what about someone that’s like 20! Isn’t it weird to call them a woman?” If it’s that hard for you, the phrase “young lady” goes a long way. But there is no reason for you to say “there was a girl in the restaurant earlier” and be referring to a 40 year old woman. You don’t refer to men as “boys,” and for good reason.
“But with boys/men you can also use the phrase guy and there isn’t a female equivalent” okay too bad stop infantilizing women because words make you uncomfortable!!
Image source: ack5379
#33
I work as a tutor and whenever I call a family to make the first appointment with the student, I always call dad’s number. It’s funny when they try to remember their kid’s schedule and figure out if Mondays at 3 will indeed work for them.
Image source: Umurkn
#34
I gave a strict talking-to the other day to a young woman telling me she never thought she could/should have a home of her own since she’s single without kids. Not that she couldn’t afford it, just that it wasn’t — normal etc. Just planned on keeping on renting indefinitely … But why not, I said? Never lived with anyone else and now I’ve got a paid-off house in my 40s. All on my own.
You get that equity, sis. Don’t let either a man or absence of one steal your future financial security!
Image source: Verity41
#35
When getting Christmas presents for couples, I pick gifts that the woman would like because I’m 100% sure they are the ones planning, wrapping and signing the gifts on behalf of their husbands and families. Let’s be real, holiday magic is just women doing kinkeeping.
Image source: PoeKensington
#36
I don’t laugh at bad jokes. .
Image source: Dramatic-Wasabi299
#37
I call every single person on the planet “girlfriend.”
When people (okay men and boys, obviously) make a stink about it I say: “Oh I just use it to mean everyone. Like how we know that ‘all men are created equal’ means everyone.”.
Image source: catspeeonmystuff, Dmitrii Shirnin / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#38
The other day I asserted my train armrest claim so hard the guy next to me moved over.
Image source: woena, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#39
Ive taken the exclamation points and overly happy to help vibe out of my emails.
Image source: smellylilworm
#40
When I was a server and barista and a couple came in I’d maintain eye contact with the woman.
Image source: Pixiestixwhore, Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
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