I wish I had the presence of mind to do that, but these things never occur to me until much later. Usually I just froze when I was younger. Later, I flipped ‘em the bird, since the worst thing a woman can apparently do is be unladylike.

Common sense would appear to dictate that, but sexism has never been sensical, for all that it is common.

And oh, how I wish they’d realize that being a friend isn’t a free pass to be a dismissive little shit when a friend finally complains, after what might be years of silence, about something that has been a long-standing and horrible fact of her life.

Same here. I’d ask if our moms went to the same school, but I think this is just the School of Life we’re talking about here. Everybody had to learn not to offend some man or other, usually starting with dear ol’ squeamish dad.

What? It’s GARBAGE. Who goes rooting through other people’s garbage? And who cares what someone else puts in the garbage, come to that?

That’s exactly it! When some presumptuous little schmuck derided me (at 13) for wearing makeup, saying guys didn’t like it, I said, quite simply, “I’m not wearing it for YOU.” Shut him right up.

I once got kicked in the crotch by my own brother. I was 11. And no one told him that you don’t do that to girls.

Made flippy-floppy? (Probably accurate, if her assessment of his bed-skills is anything to go by...)

Mary says one dancer explained she “wouldn’t feel comfortable standing near a man like that in our costumes.”