Shopping

Timothy Hen-Laden

Every single story that the BBC news website has about shopping always has a picture of a female (and always a young pretty one) doing the shopping. Never a male.

Jo

I went into a music shop to buy some new strings. I have been playing guitar for twenty years. I told the guy behind the desk what strings I needed, for an electric guitar. He quizzed me about it, then insisted that I don’t have an electric guitar, I have an acoustic guitar and need acoustic strings (this is without knowing me, seeing my guitar or knowing what make it was, presumably in his mind women only play acoustic!) I kick myself that I still bought a set of strings from him instead of just walking out, but this is the problem, so long as men dominate the market women have to tolerate sexism just to get what they need.

Chris

Why when I go shopping for clothes do I have to go all the way to the third fourth or fifth floor. Even in two story or single story units I always have to go upstairs or to the back and the choice is way more limited. All I want to do is get in and out as quickly as possible so surely it makes sense to put clothes for people like me at the front or on the ground floor and leave the seasoned and more dedicated shoppers to spend more time going up and down escalators. Even going along any main street in a city the number of shops for people like me with deep voices, stubble and flat chests is outnumbered 5 to 1 aimed at the smoother more curvaceous memers of society. Life is so biased to women

m.m.m

I was at a store buying somethings I need. It was pretty packed but the aisle I was in was rather free. Although it’s pretty narrow, I had to bend down to pick something up and as I was coming back up I felt something touch my butt. I look back and it’s an old man in his 50s, 60s (I’m 20) just creepily smile at me with his eyes wide open and say ‘sorry’. He walked into me when he could’ve easily said ‘excuse me’ or asked me to move, (or literally wait 2seconds for me stand up right and he can pass) but he clearly wanted to walk into me. He touched me with his protruding belly (which I’m honestly glad he had, or else I would’ve felt his stuff on me). I was disgusted for the rest of the night and couldn’t wait to get out of there.

Eleanor

Seen “tablets” on littlewoods called “man up pills” (they’re actually mint sweets) they’re advertised as a joke item, however the label has things on it like “tablets to be taking when acting like a big wuss!” and “caution; whole bottle may be inserted where the sun doesn’t shine by local nurse” and “pills may cause you to man up and stop embarrassing yourself!” plus “one tablet to be taken with every sniffle.” i have seen an awful lot of products like this in stores recently, such as when i was out shopping during the christmas period and seen a “man tin” for “man stuff like screwdrivers, hammers and beer” and another that said “sawdust is a man’s glitter” ETC. its irking when you’re just out (or shopping online) casually shopping. 😐

Myra

I went in with my husband to buy a new mattress because of my back problems (my husband was indifferent), and the salesman only dealt with my husband when it came down to making the final decision, payment, and scheduling the delivery.

Emily S.

I went to the grocery store earlier today. I was alone. I was in the bread aisle looking for some rye, when a man said “You’re a really pretty girl.” I said “thank you” and continued my search for bread. He stepped closer and said, again, “I mean a really, really beautiful little girl….young woman, I mean.” He then asked me if I was married, what my name was, how old I was and where I lived. I said I wasn’t married, lied about my name and where I lived as to be safe, and told him my age. He told me he had two daughters and a couple granddaughters, and told me that he spoils them. He then proceeded to say (in an uncomfortably sexual way), that if I was living with him he’d be sure to “keep me spoiled”, too. He said he was a 69 year old man and that he “never does this”, but he saw me and just “had to” tell me how “beautiful of a girl” I am, “a truly cute little girl”. It was honestly so disgusting and he even became touchy, patting me on the back and half-hugging me. The rest of the time I spent at the grocery was filled with anxiety and I was constantly on watch to make sure he wasn’t following me/wouldn’t follow me home.

Anon

Why do they have to call them ‘boy’ shorts all the time? Why can I not be wearing ‘girl’ shorts for once? I mean, I identify as a girl and it was the gender I was assigned at birth, but that’s not enough for the disturbingly sexist fashion industry, cos if I want to wear clothing that is considered traditionally non-feminine, I must refer to them as ‘boy’ clothes. It’s like the feminine version of being emasculated… …Also, why, if they really are ‘boy’ shorts, are they cut so much shorter than ‘real boy shorts’ are? I started to just make my own because I’m sick of getting cut in half through the crotch every time it’s sunny outside. I mean, the whole point is that they’re meant to be comfier than ‘girl’ shorts, right? If they cut ‘real boy shorts’ the same length as they do ‘boy’ shorts for girls, nobody would buy them because they would crush all the men’s balls. Just let me keep my goddamn upper-thighs to myself, would you?! I shouldn’t have to sit at home sewing shit onto brand-new clothes just to make them wearable and making ALL my own clothes while I keep up a full-time job isn’t really feasible. I mean, I can sew, but I’m not THAT freakin’ good. I have the same issue with “boyfriend” jeans. They call them “boyfriend” jeans because a girl wouldn’t wear something that baggy, right? All her jeans would be skin-tight, as it should be, right? Wankers.

Woman

It just got to me how difficult it is to find clothing for a pear-shaped body. I am a woman of said body shape. I manage to get by with day to day clothes, i.e. buy bottoms, buy a top one or two sizes smaller, which better be stretchy and/or loose fit. But coats are an absolute nightmare. I live in Canada, so parka is a must for when it gets cold. It seems like whoever designs parkas has never seen a woman (outside of photoshopped adverts). All parkas are cut straight. Hips don’t exist. So the choice is either a) an obviously oversized jacket bunched up at the top, with sleeves too long, or b) a bomber jacket, which means my bum will be freezing.

One angry man…

(UK) Shopping for school shoes for my children for autumn/winter term. My two boys were able to get good, warm weatherproof shoes. My daughter (age 5) had to put up with a selection of court shoes. All strappy, exposed foot type things. I complained and was told that she could have the boys shoes. Why should she put up with that? Where are the sensible winter shoes for girls? Sends a terrible message for girls who want to play out in the cold/wet with their male classmates…