Have you ever been told to “be a man”?

Yes, I think it was some time in college – I don’t remember what the circumstances were or why it was an issue. It probably had something to do with imbibing alcohol in large quantities.

I remember laughing at the guy who said it.

Prior to disability, 36 – 25 – 35.
Even so, sometimes got called sir.
I think some people just have a fixation with wanting all humans to be male.

Sure. It was an R O T C recruiter on the college campus, a soldier. I paused at the table because sitting next to the captain with an impassive look on his face was a staff sergeant festooned with decorations. I was studying the sergeant’s chest to see how many badges I could recognize when a passing pretty friend spotted me and without breaking her stride yelled “taking up with baby killers?”

Once long ago (40 years?) I was told to be a man and to carry myself like I was proud to be alive. Kinda pissed me off at the time, but I realized later it was probably good advice.

I’m a woman and I hear it all the time, mainly with my male friends and coworkers. Like “Stop whining, be a man and just do it!” – that kind of thing. Mostly joking. If a father says it to a son, it’s usually not joking. Like ‘be a man, you can toss two bales of hay, not just one!’

I know you’re mainly asking the male population of Fluther; but, I am a female with a manly voice. I was speaking with one a customer of the company I was working for when he said something that caused a strong reaction from me. He laughed & said “it’s time to be a man” & take care of the problem to which assured him that that was impossible. Then he says “you got to man up son.” I laughed as I assured him that I’d love to but I didn’t have the body parts to complete his request. I could feel him crawling into his proverbial hole as he realized that he was speaking to a female. Especially in my younger days I found older men telling others “to be a man” quite often & it didn’t matter that you weren’t a man to begin with!!! :)

I’m a female, but I hear the female version of “be a man” said to me.

And I hear it All. The. Time.

Mostly it’s for ridiculous reasons like I don’t like taking risks in dangerous activities like gambling or drinking. Or it’s another way of telling me to “stop being sensitive”, or caring too much for anything. Or it’s another way of telling me I’m childish and I should “grow up” to meet the standards people set for me.

Mostly I just ignore them. I know those who said that haven’t seen enough of the world yet.

Never by anyone whos opinion I held in high regard.

Sure. As a former bouncer, I’ve heard every insult.

I somewhat agree with @seawulf575 here. It depends on the circumstances, I guess.