“Are people reacting to you because typically women are given less latitude to fail?”

I’m sorry Babara but this is ill informed misandry.

Women are not expected to succeed.

Men are.

Women are given far more ‘latitude’ to fail than are men, perhaps even realistically so. Men are expected to be successful and to be providers. Our ‘identity’ is derived out of our success: case and point — try going on a date as a 20-something. As the couples mingle, it doesn’t matter what the girl does, or how much she earns. Great career? Super. Not? That’s fine. But a guy who’s a ‘lowly clerk’ won’t go far.