It doesn’t matter how much people might pass off some things as sweet or harmless, because the truth is, a lot of women really can’t stand them.
Smile patrol arrives
People think they’re being kind when they tell women to smile. But the truth is, they’re still telling a woman what to do without her asking for it, they’re still telling a woman that she’s somehow not good enough as she is. It’s even worse when it happens at work.
Maybe she’s concentrating, maybe she’s tired, maybe her face just has that expression for a minute or two, but there’s no harm in that. She doesn’t need to be told to repair it because, really, there’s nothing to repair.
All eyes, bad timing
It’s easy for a public proposal to look sweet, at least from ten feet away, but it’s a very different situation when it’s up close. ‘Yes’ feels like it’s the only answer, and women hate being put in that position, like they’ve got no other choice.
A giant restaurant moment might be romantic to a guy, yes, but women tend to feel completely differently. That’s not to say they don’t love the person, they do, of course they do, it’s just that they hate such a public setup. Two things can be true, you know.
A smaller kind of praise
‘Cute.’ Sometimes it isn’t an insult, sometimes it’s fine and meant genuinely, but the problem comes with timing. Women don’t like hearing they’re ‘cute’ after they’ve done something smart or hard.
Telling her she’s ‘cute’ kind of downplays her achievement and makes her success something personality-based, totally not acceptable behavior. You could’ve said she was capable, you could’ve said she was resilient, but no, you settled for ‘cute.’
Not exactly applause
Somehow, guys seem to think that catcalling is some sort of compliment, like a woman’s supposed to be grateful for it for some reason. Definitely not. A lot of women see catcalling as verbal sexual harassment, and as you might expect, they’re not exactly keen on that.
A shout from a car window, a comment on the sidewalk, it’s not something good relationships are made of, and it’s also not something a woman can answer. Women really don’t enjoy being objectified in that way, simple.
A screen goes wrong
It’s not like women open their phone in the hopes of getting a surprise picture of a guy’s intimate parts, it just kind of happens. That’s what makes it so annoying. Now they’ve got to delete the picture, block the sender, complain to a friend, it’s a lot.
A picture of the guy’s dog would’ve been a lot better, and definitely a lot more welcome. The truth is, most women don’t like getting explicit photos that they never asked for.
After no
Guys call it persistence, most women say it’s annoying, and they wish that guys would stop doing it. What is ‘it,’ exactly? It’s being chased after you said no, being treated like you’ll change your mind eventually, just so long as a guy keeps trying.
Women get tired of repeating themselves and having to give a second, third, fourth, even fifth ‘no.’ They don’t like having to be extra careful with their wording so nobody explodes because, surprise surprise, that’s not fun. It’s work they didn’t ask for.
Plans with missing pieces
Surprise plans are one thing, and sure, they can be lovely, but mystery plans without any useful information? Not so sweet. Women like to know where they’re going, who’s there, how long it’ll last, what shoes make sense, all that jazz. They deserve to know, in fact.
They don’t enjoy everything being so mysterious because, really, it’s not that fun. They want to know the details, even the little boring ones, as it helps them feel more relaxed when they go on a date. What’s wrong with that?
No mirror needed
It’s true, guys tell a woman that she looks ‘better without makeup’ because they think they’re being nice. Women don’t take it that way. No, they feel like guys are giving them a review of their face, without her actually asking for one, and that’s not cool.
Women might be wearing makeup because they like the style, maybe because it’s a habit, it doesn’t really matter, honestly. The reason’s not important. What does matter is that telling a woman which version of her is ‘better’ focuses on your preference, not hers. Not fair.
Pretty shoes, long clock
High heels might be great for the right night and the right outfit, but that doesn’t make them any more comfortable. Most women don’t enjoy actually wearing them, yet a lot of them will continue doing so.
A lot of them feel like they have to wear high heels, that’s what society expects them to do, after all. It doesn’t mean they like it, and it doesn’t mean that wearing heels makes them feel good, either. They just deal with it, in silence, most of the time.
The joke nobody ordered
You could be talking about something as normal as lunch, but then a guy adds a wink and a little comment. Now it’s become something much more sexually charged. Most women don’t like guys making sexual innuendos in casual conversations because it makes them uncomfortable.
The sad part is that so many women have dealt with these sorts of comments, whether at work or in the street, and they hate it. They’d like for a casual conversation to stay just like that, a casual conversation. Is that so much to ask?
Bar tricks and big volume
Many women know the routine with drunk guys. They’re too close, too loud, and they love to repeat the same story way too many times. Somehow, they think it’s charming. Women don’t think about it this way.
Drunk men trying to impress a woman doesn’t usually go well, and women don’t like having to deal with any of that. Newsflash, alcohol doesn’t make a bad performance seem any better, it just doesn’t.
A game with no players
Jealousy gets exhausting before it even starts, whether that’s because he gets too friendly with someone else or he keeps bringing up an ex. Women don’t think it’s cute, and they certainly don’t think that jealousy is somehow proof of love. It’s not.
They really dislike it when guys try to make them jealous on purpose, as though it’s going to make the relationship better somehow when it’s really not going to. It’s more childish than anything really, and women see that. They hate it.
Arms out, answer clear
There are few things worse than that awkward moment when a guy says something like, ‘Come on, give me a hug,’ and it’s even worse when her body language makes her feelings clear. Women really hate being put in that situation.
A lot of them feel like they can only smile along and pretend like things are okay, when really, they’re not. They don’t enjoy being forced to choose between faking that they’re happy with the hug or standing up and saying no. Read the room, guys.
Not just part of it
Some people act like a woman’s pain is supposed to explain everything. They act like heavy bleeding, awful cramps, pelvic pain, and the rest of it are all totally, 100% acceptable, when it’s really not.
You’d be surprised at how many women have their symptoms dismissed, even by qualified medical professionals, because they’re seen as simple ‘women’s problems.’ It’s actually kind of harmful because it delays diagnosis and care, that’s never a good thing.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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