People Keep Calling Me Sir
And no-one thinks I look like a man
I have an unusual voice. It’s a lower register than most women’s and has a bit of a throaty quality. I’ve been told I’ve got a great voice for radio, but I get called sir on the phone on a fairly regular basis, although my husband assures me that my voice does not sound masculine in the least.
Every now and then I even get called sir in person — by someone who is looking right at me. This despite the fact that I have big breasts and very feminine features. I’m tall — just over 6 feet, but these days there are plenty of tall women around. So, what’s the deal? How is a feminine looking woman with big tits being mistaken for a sir?
I realized the other day that it’s my energy — it sometimes comes across as masculine (which is a different thing than manly), even when my actual voice and physicality don’t. I take up more space than most women do — not just literally, but in my demeanor. Women are trained from an early age to kind of blend into the woodwork, amiably helping and creating comfort from the shadows. They are trained to defer to men’s voices, ideas, and egos.
“Demure, nonthreatening — and deferential: That’s what I learned to be as a young girl.”
