I was told of a certain man who never misses the chance to shut a woman up should she dare to speak in public. I was also informed on how his own wife has fallen victim to this ‘bullying’ one too many times. I can only imagine how embarrassing it is for the other people present – I mean would you like to be around when a man openly tells his wife to shut her mouth and never speak again? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Some of you might think I get these stories from some crazy part of my imagination but I can assure you, this is real. I was unfortunately treated to this bizarre behaviour when a friend introduced me to the character in question. I’ve got to tell you, at first sight, he seems like a very decent man. He shakes your hand firmly and looks into your eyes when he says hello – not that crappy way some people say hello - like they will contract a disease if they shake your hand. 

He seems genuinely interested in meeting people. And for women, that is all that should ever be. The minute you try to sound smart, throwing opinions here and there, he starts by challenging you. Everything you say gives him a reason to argue. At the end of it all, no matter how firm you believe your point was, he will dismiss you like a smelly bug and continue with people worth arguing with – men! To put it simply – he is a chauvinist pig! His small business is hanging by a thread … janitors earn more than him! How he thinks he has the right to feel superior is beyond me. 

I watched him dismiss one of the women he was with every time she tried to say something. When one of the guys asked him to ‘let the lady speak’, he did it so reluctantly, I wasn’t sure he would hold for even five seconds. When I attempted to help the lady stress her point (because she was so intimidated by him, words weren’t coming out right) he called us feminists! Did I mention we were talking about food recipes? How does my opinion on a food recipe make me a feminist really? 

Sure, there are times when I’m all too keen on ‘putting my kind first’ but it is such men who make it all too easy. For starters, I have no business respecting a man who thinks women are there to just look pretty or cook and have babies. I have no business respecting a man who picks on his wife and makes her feel like an absolute fool in public. Also, I have no business respecting a man – more so a stupid one – who thinks he can ride on the intelligence of other men…the men who respect their wives and other people. I know some women do not give men reason enough to be respected but hey, if he can marry her then clearly she’s alright.

I am getting used to the fact that men and women will never be truly equal…and in some strange way…at least to me…it’s okay, as long as he respects me. If a guy tosses you around like it was a shame you were born, I don’t care what the ancestors said, you can do better. There are ways to get him to respect you, should leaving him not be an option (we get it).