40 Things I Must Do as a Woman
Some of the societal rules and expectations for just existing
4 min readMar 23, 2021
- I must smile and return your greeting, even when I don’t know you or am busy running an errand.
- I must have sex with, or at the very least, kiss you after you pay for my meal or my movie ticket.
- I must let you invade my private space without getting rude or snappy.
- I must never make any suggestions about how a man can change his behavior. I must always alter mine.
- I must walk home with a friend or two.
- I must hold my keys in my hand in case I need to protect myself.
- I must plan how I am going to get home from a party if it’s late at night.
- I must choose between having a busy career that requires travel and little time off, or making my partner happy.
- I must maintain my home, cook meals, and attend all of my child’s events in order not to feel like a failure.
- I must wait until my boss feels I deserve a raise or promotion before I inquire about one.
- I must never raise my voice in public or in private, especially about something that involves social justice.
- I must maintain silence about a man’s behavior when it…
