Things Only Women Are Allowed To Say About Women

[caption id="attachment_836500" align="alignleft" width="1068"] Bigstockphoto.com/african american girl swing her head with surprised expression[/caption] Within any group or demographic, criticism has to come from the inside in order to be respected. Nobody likes to feel that an outsider, who has no idea what it’s like to be them, is making generalizations and broad judgments. This is true of race, religion, socioeconomic groups and—of course—gender. If you’re a man who has ever been ridiculed for saying something that you believe is true about women—and something you’ve even heard women say about women—you may ask, “What? So I can’t say it, but women can?” That is correct, sir. Because when you say it, you’re taking it out of context. You don’t understand all of the inner workings that make those things true, what those truths are connected to, and what they mean to us. Here are things only women can say about women (so stop saying them, men).   [caption id="attachment_707609" align="alignleft" width="495"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Women love to shop

Yes, but it’s not because we are superficial or money-obsessed, which is what men tend to mean when they say this. Shopping is a creative outlet for a lot of us. When we shop, we pick out pieces that express different parts of our personality. When we shop with our friends, we talk about all the fun things we’d like to do in the outfits. Shopping is a medium through which we daydream, talk about our goals, and discuss our personalities.       [caption id="attachment_625884" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

We are crazy on our periods

Oh, for sure. No doubt. But men, because we are crazy on our periods, we don’t need the additional upset of being told that our crazy is affecting those around us. We promise you that no matter how mildly inconvenient our PMS is for you, it is one hundred times worse for us. So while we are over here healing over in pain from cramps and bleeding through yet another pair of underwear we love, we don’t need some man pointing at us and saying, “You’re acting crazy.”   [caption id="attachment_702816" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Yes, we do want love

You’re right. Many of us do want a relationship. Many of us would like a husband and children one day. But the reason this statement is annoying is that the same is true for men. Men aren’t brave enough to admit they want those things. Women, however, are brave enough to admit it. Men shouldn’t chastise us for being bold enough to say we want the same things they want (you know it’s true men, so cut the sh*t).           [caption id="attachment_624838" align="alignleft" width="505"] Corbis[/caption]

There are perks to being a woman

Do our Uber drivers sometimes not charge us for short rides because they think we’re pretty? Do we sometimes get free drinks because we’re cute? Perhaps. But men are not allowed to say things like, “It must be nice to be a woman” because while there are perks, if men did the tiniest bit of research, they’d see that, in many ways, it’s much nicer to be a man in this society. So the comment, “There are perks to being a woman,” coming from a man is ignorant.     [caption id="attachment_702372" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

He’s giving me this opportunity because he wants to sleep with me

Do men sometimes give us job opportunities because they want to sleep with us? Yes. All of the time. But the thing is, when we say it, we are complaining. It is infuriating. It’s terrible to wonder if all our hard work has been for nothing, and we’re only being given a job because the boss is attracted to us. Now, when a man points this out, it’s his way of saying, “You don’t have the skills for that job.” And that is why men cannot say it.         [caption id="attachment_718970" align="alignleft" width="448"] Shutterstock[/caption]

We’re a little nuts when we’re drunk

Yes, but who isn’t? Women may get a little outspoken and catty when we’re drunk but men, like, punch each other and throw flaming bottles at their ex-girlfriend’s windows. So why don’t we call a truce and you don’t call us nuts when we’re drunk, and we don’t call the police when you are.           [caption id="attachment_617513" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

We do love puppies and babies

We love puppies and babies because they are adorable, sweet, innocent, playful and affectionate. We do not love them for the reason men think we do—because our biological clocks are screaming at us to procreate. Oh, and men like puppies and babies, too. Anybody who doesn’t at least acknowledge that they’re cute is a sociopath.       [caption id="attachment_716483" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

We can be a little mean to each other

Yes, sometimes we judge each other. Sometimes we gossip. Sometimes we talk behind our friends’ backs but it’s because we care. It’s better we actually discuss it when our friend is dating a controlling, narcissistic man. That’s better than what men do, which is silently watch their best friends marry terrible people, all because they didn’t want to “be judgy” or “put their noses where they don’t belong.” Our friends are fortunate that we care enough to speak up if we think they’re making a terrible decision, even if that means we seem a little “mean.”       [caption id="attachment_712485" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

We give into societal expectations of beauty

Hey, guess what? We do. It’s hard not to. We have been slammed with society’s expectations since the moment we were born. Even if we try to defy them, they are still shaping us—we’re just doing the opposite of what we’re told to do. It’s tough. It’s miserable. But in addition to worrying about living up to society’s expectations and getting angry at ourselves for caring, we don’t need men judging us for it.         [caption id="attachment_710067" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Yes, we slept around back in the day

Men, you don’t get to ask us how many people we’ve slept with. You don’t get to reference our “slutty college days.” I don’t even have space here to list off all of the reasons for that, but let’s just start with the fact that if a woman does sleep with a lot of men, it’s a concern, meanwhile, if a man isn’t getting laid, that is the concern.           [caption id="attachment_713716" align="alignleft" width="420"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Women are all size queens

Do you want me to sit here and tell you women like small penises? Because I’m not going to do that. But we cannot help the fact that when a man is well-endowed, sex just feels better. We didn’t create that truth, just like men didn’t create the truth that a tight vagina feels better. So stop calling us size queens as if that makes us superficial.             [caption id="attachment_702843" align="alignleft" width="419"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Women want to date men who are successful

Sure, but not for the reason men think (that we just love money). We want to date men who are successful because that typically means they are intelligent, hardworking, know how to talk to people, have values, can be diplomatic and are passionate. If we don’t want to date a man who is happily living at home and not seeking work, glad to mooch off his parents, it’s not because he can’t buy us dinner—it’s because his personality probably sucks.         [caption id="attachment_609226" align="alignleft" width="378"] Shutterstock[/caption]

This is a “man’s activity”

We will tell you if the activity isn’t our thing. But don’t call beer-brewing, sports-watching or tackle football a man’s activity. If we called talking about feelings a woman’s activity, there are a lot of men out there who would suddenly be at a loss for what to do with their emotions.               [caption id="attachment_700835" align="alignleft" width="640"] Source: Jim Craigmyle/Corbis[/caption]

Yes, our relationships with our dads affect us

Everyone’s relationship with their parents—mothers and fathers—affects their romantic relationships. But men love to specifically point out that a woman’s relationship with her father affects her. They specifically love the term “daddy issues.” These men usually have “mommy issues”—their moms didn’t love them enough which left them desperately craving the affection of women but rather than admitting that scary truth they turn it around and judge women. Hey, how does that feel? Did being shrunk by the opposite sex feel good to you, men? [caption id="attachment_821180" align="alignleft" width="900"] Portrait of mature mother with daughter at park during autumn[/caption]

And yes, we may be just like our mothers

We are like our mothers. We are also like our fathers. Men are like their mothers and fathers. Why? Because we share the same DNA and grew up in their households. But men tend to say, “You’re being like your mother” when they want to say, “You’re being sensitive” or “You’re being controlling.” When women say, “I’m just like my mom” we tend to just mean, “I really like the Gap, just like my mom.”

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