Sideways
Moderator
The benefit of this situation seems to be the insight you get into yourself. He said that, you find it offensive. That tells you a lot about yourself and your values and maybe even the kinds of relationships you’re going to invest in, or put boundaries around.if you're offended and never express it, how is anyone supposed to know their behavior might be considered offensive?
And yeah, sometimes you call someone out on some sexist aside and they say, “Cripes, sorry I didn’t realise”. Sometimes the situation or the relationship warrants you making a bit of a stand. Not often!
Unfortunately, with the rest of the crap we have going on already, we’re not well placed to make that stand. Emotionally, we don’t have much legroom.
But there are ways and means. Letting the ladies know “That comment about the estrogen was pretty offensive”, maybe there’s some solidarity to be found there? Maybe that lets them know that they don’t have to laugh next time?
And maybe there’s a little bit of personal liberation in not just letting it go each time? If it would feel empowering to you to say something? “To hell with everyone else’s standards, this isn’t okay with me.” Maybe give it a try?