Feminism

Things That Women do Not Owe Men

Nothing is less likely to make me smile than a man telling me to

By Rottonara on Pixabay, under Pixabay License

I’m probably going to upset a few men with this. That’s fine; it upsets me when I get harassed for going outside, so we can call it even.

Women do not owe men:

A smile

I don’t know why this is so controversial, but there is nothing that gets some men riled up as much as challenging their god-given right to dictate strange women’s facial expressions.

I know, I know. Telling someone to smile isn’t inherently rude. We all know the intent behind it is, but since we can’t prove it, I’ll settle for pointing out that not smiling at all times isn’t rude either. Women don’t owe you a smile.

They’ll say they’re just acting out of concern, because we look sad, but these dudes never tell other men to smile. Why no concern for your fellow bros’ mental health? Not to mention that telling someone to smile does nothing to alleviate their anguish, should they be suffering any.

I’m not saying don’t approach a woman who is visibly upset and might need your help. But in that situation, “are you okay” or “do you need help with something” are the gold standards. And you should be offering to help anyone you…