Women Share Their Stories About Being Ignored When In The Company Of A Man

One woman’s run-in with a repairman turned into a familiar kind of frustration, the kind where a man suddenly seems to notice only the man standing next to her. She shared how the conversation changed the moment her husband arrived, and that small slight struck a nerve with thousands of other women.

What followed was a flood of stories about being ignored, talked over, or treated like the wrong person was in charge, whether the setting was a car lot, a shop counter, or a job site. The pattern was so recognizable that the thread kept growing fast, with women sharing the same basic experience in different places.

Here are 30 of those reactions and stories, and the pattern is hard to miss.

1. The tweet that inspired it all

kristabellerina

2. Assumed only her husband would understand

shanaschwarz

3. Assumed her husband was a pilot when she was

kandybernsk

4. Tried to return her credit card to her husband after she initially gave it to him

Helene0555

5. Over a dozen men ignored a homebuilder on how to safely back out of her extra-long driveway

delania_mclean

6. A car salesman told a woman to bring her husband instead of answering her questions, and lost 3 sales

citizenofNV

7. A salesman lost a large sale after dumping a woman mid-conversation to engage with her husband instead

Eilidhexmo

8. Young salesmen ignored an older woman in a music shop; an older salesman ended up selling her 4 pianos

Mully1897 Some salespeople really know how to talk themselves out of a deal.

9. While car shopping, a woman had a hard time finding any salesman to engage with her

dmw_terrence

10. Her husband tagged along with her while she was car shopping; the salesman pitched to the husband only, and they walked away

sftballwife

11. Prepped with research, a woman encountered an exceptionally misogynistic car salesman

AnaidUthMatar

12. A mechanic tried to fool a woman into repairing unnecessary things, not knowing she was a mechanical engineer

BrownTroy

13. She does not give repairmen who ask to speak to her non-existent husband any time

pilotchicksrule

It’s basically the same tension as the friend who wanted an even dinner bill split after ordering more.

That kind of assumption gets old fast.

14. A woman holds out on selling land and later does so with karmic justice

MirandaLBkr

15. She wasted their time for wasting hers

CurrAnatomy

16. A horse stable owner has a much bigger personality than her stature

ClaudiaWheatley

17. Waitstaff always assume meat dishes are for the husband, who is vegan

colgwilliam5

18. A neighbor man tried to have a discussion with a farm owner and refused to speak to her when he learned she was the owner, not a man

KathiePloskonka

19. A different car salesperson story: a saleswoman made a sale to every woman at a Porsche dealership

suzette_sommer One good salesperson can make the whole room look bad.

20. A counter guy looked past a woman at the counter and tried to engage with her boyfriend, who was a step behind her

scott_sycamore

21. A mechanic suggested a woman wouldn't be able to back her car out

Strawprincess

22. A car saleswoman made a huge sale after the salesmen ignored a woman customer

h_cortland

23. A woman engineer called to order parts, and the supplier told her to ask the engineer

silentia7

24. A car salesman lost a sale due to a misogynistic closer

APrettyLeaf

25. An unfortunate mix of misogyny and racism

dianeako

26. Another sales lost story, but this time a husband explicitly told the salesman how he messed up

LingZhiTweet

27. A man pulled out of a home purchase because the company was disrespectful to his wife, the buyer

pmheart

28. Car salesmen seem to be the most guilty of this

OutdoorDad05 The pattern keeps showing up in the same places.

29. Two vastly different experiences

BenignVanilla

30. She didn't buy the car AND dumped the useless boyfriend

Godsgurlie

31. A vet ignored a woman's concern about their pet dog, when she turned out to be right

Pattyfalino

Have you ever found yourself in a similar interaction, where you were a customer, but the salesman focused on your male companion instead?

Or on the flip side, have you found yourself interacting with a man instead of the woman he was accompanying? We want to know your thoughts and experiences, so drop them in the comments section below.

It’s a small moment that can say a lot.

Want another fairness fight, read about the woman who demanded an equal restaurant bill split.