One of my guys friends used the word “female” in a text today and I pointed out that I would rather him not use that term, at least when he’s talking to me. I explained it’s because it makes me and many other women feel like less than human and is typically used to imply inferiority or contempt, regardless of if he meant it that way or not. However, since I’m the “only feminist” of the many he’s talked to that has pointed it out to him, it’s not enough for him to change what is just his “everyday vocabulary.” I got upset and told him I needed to walk away from the conversation, to which he said that I was making an a*s of myself.
I really don’t think I was wrong to be hurt because he thinks it’s acceptable and is unwilling to even consider how it impacts the inequalities women still experience on a daily basis. But, am I wrong? I’m looking for a retrospective analysis or conclusion of the situation that’s not just a result of my own feelings…