Why do some women do this?

Question

They will make some obscure joke or negative comment about men, laugh, and then look at me and say something along the lines of "Oh, but not you!" or "No offense to you or anything!" I'm always left thinking "Uh yeah, okay, so you're trashing all men except me? I sure do feel special. I think I'll go out and buy myself a congratulatory happy meal."

So...anyone care to shed light on this, and possibly reveal some hidden logic?

Answer 1

I know it's easy to send your guard up when this happens. It's also frustrating because, if the situation were reversed, these women would probably raise hell.

Some women just can't help but male bash when they get together with other women. I don't know why. Some guys can't help but make comments about women when they're "with the boys," either. The more intelligent, intellectual ones (male and female) typically don't do this, though.

It's like they say, and forgive me if I'm screwing this up:

Average people talk about events.
Simple people talk about other people.
Extraordinary people talk about ideas.

I don't think I said that completely right, but you get the picture. So, I would just try not to send my guard up, even though it's hard, and chalk it up to the people doing it. Because really, it says a lot about their overall character.

Answer 2

I love the happy meal comment. I am definately going to remember that. *smile*

I have to admit that, on occasion, I have been guilty of doing this. Although, in my defense, it does not occur regularly, nor is the joke/comment ever terribly harsh. However, I do see your point. In my case, I felt comfortable around my male friend, so I did not initially worry about what I said. I assume that he will know I am making a generalization (or, in some cases, I am referring to certain specific males, and he knows which ones Im refering to, so I assume he knows I'm refering to them, and not him). As a second though, I decide I should specify that I was not refering to him. Its a way of saying that I know that he is one of the males who do not displease.

For the record, I am not a man hater! Not at all. When engaging in casual conversation with my friends (male and female), it is custom to make general statements about several groups of people (men, women, cheerleaders, football players, white people, etc, etc, etc), many of these groups one or more of us belong to, and these statements are not meant to be taken seriously or offensively.

Answer 3

Male bashing is very common in today's world, especially on radio and television in commercials and movies and sitcoms. It has been so severe and prevalent as to cause men to change their personalities and characteristics. Hence we have new ways of acting being created and defined and labeled, such as the metrosexual man. I think the feminist movement out of the 1960's has spawned this phenomenon. Some women who talk like the one in your example are seriously anti men and others are just joining in on what they think is a fun hobby. I, for one man, think male bashing could be cut back a bit in the hopes for a more balanced and realistic paradigm of human nature.

Answer 4

We live in a feminist world. Laugh and joke back and say "no offense" and "but not you". Dropping the c word as you walk away is a good practice in a few, but rare, situations of severity.

Answer 5

That's a good point, to which I can readily relate - but I think I'll let the ladies handle this - so as not to give them anything else to talk about.

Answer 6

No it is true what they are saying.. Obviously not every single male in the world all posses the same exact qualities. On the other hand, they shouldn't say crap like that in front of you. I would feel uncomfortable too.

Answer 7

You do have a point--they should not be making those jokes around you regardless. If it was the other way around, they certainly would not be happy or be expected to shrug it off.

Answer 8

Sounds like you're spending way too much time at "girls' night".

These girls are having the type of conversation that is meant to be shared with only their girls. It seems to me that perhaps you should not be wherever they are that they're having this conversation. I don't know if you're butting in, or if the girls in your life are pulling other girls into the space that should be reserved for you....But you need to start separating the time you spend with girls from the time that they should spend together without you.

Answer 9

It means they feel comfortable enough with you to trash men in front of you and trust you won´t judge them. They´re just venting about bad experiences they´ve had with men in the past and are giving you a heads up as to things that you shouldn´t do if you want to date one of them.

Answer 10

Well when they make jokes its really not putting all men in that category. They say that to you so you know that you are one of them.