Why do some females perpetuate outdated stereotypes by acting as if they're helpless if a male is nearby?

(Some) bitches be crazy.

I haven’t really noticed this, to be honest. Then again, I’ve spent a lot of time around female law enforcement officers, and they tend to steer clear of the “damsel in distress” image.

Perhaps it’s an effort to make the man feel more masculine, as if he’s “saving” the poor helpless woman. Ego boost? I’m not sure.

Or maybe it’s just the women that are seeking out the “big strong man” type to open all of their stubborn jars and reach the serving platter on top shelf on Thanksgiving day.

Oye, women!

Oh, come on…..women don’t do things like that…................nah, no way…....

But there was that one time when…....nope, doesn’t count…...her tire was really flat…... Unless she LET the air out…??

HEY…....WAIT a minute…..

Yeah. I have an issue with some girls at work (can’t call them women) where I see the smart human fall aside to play the “damsel in distress” role, and it pisses me off!

I can’t imagine a scenario where I would benefit and not be a traitor to myself by pretending not to have knowledge that I do possess.

Well, exception… I do NOT know how to empty a porta-potty and I’ll never figure that out! But that has nothing to do with the gender of my co-workers, I’ll just feign innocence on that one forever

That’s not a gender issue. I have no idea how to empty those, and have absolutely no intention to learn. Fuck that.

Yep. Some jobs are just nasty and it’s better to not know how they are done

Indeed. Stay in school, kids.

It doesn’t happen in the environment I work in currently. I have seen it in other places and I don’t know why they do it. Perhaps they think it makes them more alluring. I find it annoying. Then I find it annoying when I see advertisements that paint men as complete drongos too. I particularly dislike it when women use their feminine wiles to garner support from powerful men against others. I have seen that and that just infuriates me.

I think sometimes it’s because the dudes around them are insufferable. Depending on the situation, if a dude is going to mansplain me or something, I might just let him and laugh about it after. Not in a professional situation (although standing up for yourself there can create all kinds of awkwardness), but in a social situation, if a guy wants to treat me like I have no idea what I’m talking about/doing, I might just let him, smile politely, and leave.

Excellent point @nikipedia! I need the job and I’m not going to say I stand up to the mansplaining, because I don’t.

I get hired because I appear sweet, soft-voiced and diplomatic (in addition to my qualifications). I find that when I voice an opinion about how things could be improved (I never do that until I have a year in and “get” the dynamics of the job) I am called in to “improve my approach/attitude”.

It’s always the same damned thing. Not that they don’t like what I’m saying, but I should say it in a “softer way”. “You should, instead of saying ‘We should…’, you should preface it with “I think…” or “Maybe, if…”

I’m being told to be wishy-washy because that fits the image? Would they tell that to a male. Hint: the answer is NO.

Have you noticied a similiar phenomena in males? Be amazed how many bachelors suddenly have no idea how to cook or what a kitchen is for after they are starting to feel secure.

Actually I was reading somewhere when men and women work together they actually spend a percentage of brain power maybe somewhat of 25% figuring how to engage one another thus in effect making them 25% slower and less intelligent.

I think this study was performed on students.

Not saying it is an excuse… Just slightly relevant.

I’m being played?

Re: mansplaining, I once sat at a table of twentysomethings (when I was one myself) and the guys were speculating on the nature of the female orgasm. I shit you not this carried on for a lengthy few minutes with one guy’s girlfriend sitting with us at the table. Finally, I (with stealth snark) just said, “Well, why don’t we just ask the horse,” and turned to her. Her boyfriend flat out told her not to respond to the question! And she didn’t! It was so fucking weird.

Women are socialized to be agreeable and to let men take the lead. Some try to take advantage of that, or take it too far.

Girls brought up by mothers who insist they be compliant and learn to be the soft, gentle woman of yesteryear are likely to be like that. “Mom did okay and let my dad take care of her. Seems like a good deal to me. I’ll take care of the kids and the house and he can earn the money.” I’m not saying I agree with this, but it does exist.

Yes, @gimlet and @Sunny2 that is the antiquated notion, exactly.

We should all be able to express opinions and take action without being told (in not-so-many-words) that it’s not ladylike. Seriously. It floors me every time.

I’m not a bitch. I’m not a complainer. I believe in the notion that you never bring a problem to management unless you are ready to present a workable solution. But my “approach should be gentler.” Bullshit.

I’ll be buggered if I’m going to start cushioning what I say every time I want to say ‘there is a problem, here is a solution’ to avoid offending some guy’s ego. Pathetic that you should have to.

Right on! @Bellatrix
It’s about time we started talking about strength as “Grow some ovaries!” “Cowgirl up, and get with it!”

It’s like the automatic deference some women give to doctors, all giggles & fake demure shite.
Stop it & stop it now!

I am often the opposite and men don’t like it! They always go for the prettier and more feminine friend of mine rather than me. I tend to be sarcastic and I talk about things that challenge the opposite sex. They get turned off.

It makes me crazy to see that shit. I worked in a very male-dominated industry for years, in a rather rough-and-tumble environment. It was extremely important not to be ‘that girl’ if you wanted respect in the workplace, particularly if you were a woman in management (as I was). I had to know my shit and be competent and firm if I wanted the male managers and employees to take me seriously. I’m glad I learned that lesson early on.

When I was promoted to the regional office, I trained my replacement…a young, pretty, dainty girl, who had never managed anything. One of the very first things I taught her was to never resort to batting her lashes and dumbing herself down in order to gain cooperation. It might work a time or two, but it would undermine her authority ever after. She took it to heart, and went on to have a successful career in management.

I never fake being stupid or less able to play some sort of role of the weaker sex. I do think some men don’t care if a woman is not very bright, but I would never want that type of man. I think most men want a woman who is their intellectual equal, who they can carry an interesting conversations with, are witty enough to understand the same humor, and someone they find interesting and can learn from. At work I don’t understand playing dumb at all. I worked a very physical job for years, and I have to be able to do the physical work, I could not have been asking for help all the time, that would have meant I can’t do my job. But, on occasion, we did get big strong men with back belts on to lift the heaviest of items.

I do ask for help with physical things that are a struggle for me and easy for a man. On the plane if a man does not offer to lift my overhead bag for me, if it is very heavy I ask one to help me. They are taller, in average stronger, it is much less effort for them. I offer to help someone who is short not able to reach easily in the supermarket the top shelf, I help children lift things, I give my seat to the elderly, the pregnant. I don’t see anything wrong in the fact that sometimes men are simply stronger, not wearing high heels, don’t have their nails painted, tend to be warmer, etc. I don’t “play” physically weak purposely thinking it will be attractive to men, but I ask for help when I think it is reasonable and not a big imposition on someone else. I do have some muscle troubles so I do it more now.

I knew this friend for years and she was intelligent and independant except when she met her current husband, then she put on a farce of an act that he could not see or not accept?

He would work long shifts and when he got home she would stop doing what she was doing ( putting up drapes) and “play” that she could not get the drapery rod up???
She played him for years.
I never saw them again!
She lost all my respect then.
I also could not believe that that kind of behaviour (damsel in distress) worked on him for years!
Some men like playing the hero? ( even if it was fake?
Or was it insecurity?

I had no time for mind games like these.
Again I saw this in action when my employer remarried a “mindless” damsel in distress who play this aspect up to the hilt even after getting married .

I think that she manipulated the whole scenerio and continues to entrap him into marrying her.
He was an idiot for not recognizing it, however he is not doing bad these days as he had inherited his father in laws estate.
Apparently both were manipulating?
What a sham of a marriage!