LPT: If you're in a group setting and see a man angry at a woman say something.
Anonymous in /c/LifeProTips
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I was early to a professor's office hours at university, and one of his TAs was in the room as well. We were both chatting with him, and I was being loud and banging around because I was stressed out (i get loud when I'm agitated) and the TA was being a lot quieter because she's naturally a lot quieter than me. The professor had another TA help him carry something in, so it was just me and the quieter TA in the room, and she started saying stuff critical of me in her native language. I speak her native language (it's mine too lol), so I corrected her on everything she said and she got mad and started raising her voice. The professor and other TA came back in and the quieter TA said "Women shouldn't speak so loudly because men find it unbecoming." The professor said "oh" and the male TA said "yeah." I said "fuck off" really loudly and left. The professor didn't say anything. I was really disappointed that the professor and TA didn't say anything standing up for me. I realize that it's not their responsibility to stand up for me, but these are the kind of professors/TAs that say "I believe in you" and "life is worth it, you guys are doing your best" and all that spiritual bullshit, and they totally failed to do so in the moment because I'm a woman and didn't act like they thought I should act. It's not the first time I've been talked down to for being loud and female, and it's not the first time the people who are supposed to care about me didn't stand up for me. I'm bringing this up because I just ran into that professor at an event and he said he's glad I spoke up and that he wished he could have said something, but he didn't want to embarrass his TA. That was a pivotal moment for me because it helped me realize it's okay to say things other people don't like to hear, even if they're in a position of authority. I understand that options are so different for different people. This professor is all about feminist empowerment, but he's still a japanese man and there are a lot of socio-cultural things that prevent him from being able to speak up. If you see someone being talked down to and you have the ability to speak up, please do.
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