Weird question: Has anyone here ever...

[Bluetree]

... been mistaken for a boy?

Aside from a mistake in a race where they put me in the 35-39 MALE category, it seems to be happening with greater frequency. Last summer, I was taking a break from work at Del Mar and a security guard came up from behind me and asked, "Are you lost, son?"
I thought is was a fluke. My friends had a good laugh over it. But it has happened more times this year, usually by salespeople.

I don't wear makeup very often (two-a-day workouts put an end to that) and if I have no reason to Dress-to-Impress I'm usually in yoga-type clothes or fitness apparel. I don't wear men's clothes, but I'm not the flowers-n-pink type person, either. I admit I don't exactly have a lot of curves (5-1, size 0), but I'm a 39 y.o. old woman and I'm starting to get a complex.

Am I alone in this? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Pax]

I'm 5'10" and built like a linebacker so I'm the antithesis of your build, but before menopause it happened to me all the time, I guess I look "softer" now?

[Trekhawk]

Im sure your not alone but I also have to wonder if the people that made those statements need glasses. I sure had no trouble picking out which was the boy in this one.:D

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12269

[Eden]

A guy walked up to my husband and myself and gushed all over us at a New Years fireworks display about how lucky we were and its not every day you get to spend new years eve with your son.....

My hair is long now, but when it was short yup I would get mistaken for a little boy sometimes. A co worker of mine was hassled about flying alone once - where's you mom little boy kind of thing, though she was both a woman and an adult... It only gets really annoying when I'm waiting someplace, like a deli counter, and the person keeps passing me over because they think I'm just someones kid.

[Brandi]

My dh Has that problem except they always think he is a girl. And it is normally older people. We can not figure out why they think this. He has very muscular legs,unshaven, broad shoulders, short hair, and big feet. It is always when we are working. I hear people say " Oh those ladies are so talented" Or "excuse Miss how do you do that" . It makes me giggle. He's always turns around and says" Can not see my hairy legs?" They are shocked when he turns around and they realize he is a man. Besides he is 6 ft too. Not that there are not a lot of women over 6 ft but with everything else you would think they would figure it out.

[Brandi]

And you know i think it is just the short haircut. I saw the pic's of you from the other thread. Don't take it to heart. Your way cute! And I am sure people feel stupid when they realize you are not a boy.

[missymaya]

I got the 'hey boy' comments both when I was a tot and as I got older:
When I was much younger (pre-puberty youth) I had my hair short and my teachers thought, at first, that I was a cute little boy. I got my ears pierced to make sure people knew I was a girl except my ears become infected and I had to take them out.
I developed a complex and for many years, I was terribly afraid of cutting my hair short. It didn't get much better as I got older. I too, like queen,am built like a defensive lineman at 5'11 and 160 (this is me being the thinest I can get w/o looking like I starve myself). When I used to row, we did a lot of weights, both upper and lower body, and I couldn't wear women's shirts b/c they didn't fit my shoulders. I easily weighed close to 180. So, when I got over the short hair complex + the muscular build, I got all sorts of things by strangers.
Now that I work in an office, I have to look nice and I kinda fit women's shirts now, so it can be easily determined that Im a woman, but when I workout, totally different story.

[7rider]

I seem to have Queen's body morphology. Nothing petite about me.
I also tend to not wear makeup (although I do always have earrings on, but that doesn't count for much these days) and go for "comfort" over feminine style with clothes.
Consequently, when I am mistaken for a guy (more in college, then now), I was often called "sir" rather than "son."
There's an older guy - gotta be pushing 80, now - at the ski club in NH where I used to go, who called me "Fred" because he thought I looked like a guy with my (then) short hair.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

... been mistaken for a boy?

Aside from a mistake in a race where they put me in the 35-39 MALE category, it seems to be happening with greater frequency. Last summer, I was taking a break from work at Del Mar and a security guard came up from behind me and asked, "Are you lost, son?"

Clearly in that instance, the guard was going on seeing you from behind- you are pretty small and you don't have curvy hips, right? So it might be natural to mistake you for a boy from behind I suppose. (No one would likely make that mistake when seeing ME from behind, with my obvious pear shape...:eek: ) You are very feminine looking, but you are petite all around, so it seems like it might be a natural mistake, especially if you are not wearing makeup and are dressed in generic gym clothes. Don't forget that the average American woman is getting heavier every year, so that also means a woman of your size and shape is becoming more and more uncommon.
Incidentally, I actually did get called "Sir" the other day while standing in line, by a bank teller who quickly realized her mistake. I was pretty bundled up in winter clothes though, so my "dead giveaway" hips were under cover as was every other part of me. :cool: But it is has been a rare occurance for me since turning 30 or so.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hey, it's these others who are dumb, I would swop places any day, with somebody who had such a lovely slim figure...........and pretty.......grrrrrrr!

Daily I try and lose weight (like so many others), my hair is shorter than yours but I never get mistaken for a guy, let alone a boy...........:p

Sally

[emily_in_nc]

Never. But when we were kids, my brother was often taken for a girl. He got the beautiful long eyelashes instead of me (grrrrrr), big blue eyes (again, grrrrr), and had longish hair. After he hit puberty and got tall and angular (and grew facial hair!) that never happened again.

I'm petite and curvy, so I guess that's why I've never been mistaken for a guy, even though I've had shortish hair most of my adult life (longer now), and I tend to dress fairly feminine, though not to the extreme. Wearing makeup helps. :p

Emily

[Bluetree]

Thanks for sharing, Gals. I'm glad I'm not alone out there.

I live in the land of The Beautiful People, where implants and surgery is so commonplace that it almost seems freakish to have an unusual body type. I guess my perspective is a little "off." :rolleyes:

You gals are so wonderful, you make the world a much more sensible place! (((TE Gals))) :)

[mimitabby]

Im sure your not alone but I also have to wonder if the people that made those statements need glasses. I sure had no trouble picking out which was the boy in this one.:D

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12269

I agree with Trek here.

and from another angle, a few years ago, there was an article in my local paper, in the non-news section, summer filler; about who should and shouldn't wear shorts. For women over 40, it said, don't wear shorts unless you're built like a boy.
That made me smile because that describes the legs of most of us here (and me).

So maybe being built like a boy is a good thing. No, I'm not built like a boy, but my legs sorta are.

[doc]

In person I've never been mistaken for a guy, but I am ALWAYS called "sir" on the phone. I have a deep, but not-that-deep voice. Somehow the phone makes it a little lower and I am NEVER called Miss. It gets annoying, but hey, I assume no offense intended, so none taken.

[Pax]

In person I've never been mistaken for a guy, but I am ALWAYS called "sir" on the phone. I have a deep, but not-that-deep voice. Somehow the phone makes it a little lower and I am NEVER called Miss. It gets annoying, but hey, I assume no offense intended, so none taken.

It's weird, the older I get the deeper my voice seems to be. I tell myself it's not so much masculine as much as it's Kathleen Turner-esque. :p

[Kitsune06]

When I'm biking, people mistake me more for a dude. I've had a carfull of stupid teenage girls whistle and cheer etc while I'm sitting there at the light... then I looked over, said "Well Thanks, ladies- and I haven't even taken my jacket off yet!" They were :eek: floored :eek: I didn't *think* I looked so much like a guy on my bike, but... maybe I do?

People call me 'sir' occasionally. It happened more to my ex, who was 5'8 with squarer jaw and shoulders, but it did happen to me occasionally. Especially when I'm wearing the baggy cargos w/ crotch near my knees and baggy tees. I actually enjoyed xing for awhile but my voice *can not* cooperate. :rolleyes:

Not. Amused.

[Bluetree]

I've had a carfull of stupid teenage girls whistle and cheer etc while I'm sitting there at the light... then I looked over, said "Well Thanks, ladies- and I haven't even taken my jacket off yet!"

LOL :D :D :D

[IFjane]

Blue - I've never been mistaken for a boy, but once years ago when I was all dressed up (well, as dressed up as tomboy me would get :rolleyes: ) and had gone out to dinner, the wait person asked when I was due. I said, "due?" and she said, "yes, when are you going to have your baby".

Uh....I went on a diet the next day - right after the dinner and dessert digested! :D

[Kitsune06]

Good Lord.
I had a discussion with my coworkers while we were back @ the gas station once upon a time b/c one guy inserted his foot in his mouth in such a way. I said, essentially "Unless the woman is *giving birth* you do not ask if she is pregnant etc. You *do not ask* when it is due. God *help* you if you say 'congratulations' and congratulations are *not* in order. Unless you know her well, do *not* ask about the baby's daddy."
:rolleyes:

[mimitabby]

Good Lord.
I had a discussion with my coworkers while we were back @ the gas station once upon a time b/c one guy inserted his foot in his mouth in such a way. I said, essentially "Unless the woman is *giving birth* you do not ask if she is pregnant etc. You *do not ask* when it is due. God *help* you if you say 'congratulations' and congratulations are *not* in order. Unless you know her well, do *not* ask about the baby's daddy."
:rolleyes:

Yes, this is very good. I have gotten in trouble myself with married women
of the right age whose bellies grew... twice now.. how embarrassing.
NO, STUPID, I JUST GAINED WEIGHT!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good Lord.
I had a discussion with my coworkers while we were back @ the gas station once upon a time b/c one guy inserted his foot in his mouth in such a way. I said, essentially "Unless the woman is *giving birth* you do not ask if she is pregnant etc. You *do not ask* when it is due. God *help* you if you say 'congratulations' and congratulations are *not* in order. Unless you know her well, do *not* ask about the baby's daddy."
:rolleyes:

Once I was in a group of people and there was a couple and the young wife looked about 5 months pregnant. I wisely kept my mouth shut (just in case), but another guy asked when the happy day was going to be. Her and her husband's faces dropped and her husband softly explained that they had just had a stillborn full term baby about 3 weeks before and they were still in mourning. It was a pretty awful moment. Always best to keep quiet until the woman mentions that she is pregnant.

[Thistle]

Im sure your not alone but I also have to wonder if the people that made those statements need glasses. I sure had no trouble picking out which was the boy in this one.:D

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12269


when i read this i was thinking of this photo you posted and thinking "how could anyone think you were a boy :confused: :confused: "

I reckon some people must just speak without engaging their brain, or as someone else said maybe see you from behind.

I have tried to think of times i've had difficulty deciding when someone was male or female, and to be honest, there arent that many !! So i figure people who do this often (and it sounds like it does happen often from reading this thread :eek: ) either really do need glasses and arent wearing them (i'm at the age where i cant recognise colleagues at a distance so i know this is a possibilty) or maybe they are too lazy to actually look at whether they are talking to a guy or a girl :confused:

[makbike]

Gosh it happens to be on a regular basis. I'm 5'2", muscular, small chest and short hair. I typically wear jeans, t-shirts, hoodies and a baseball cap. I don't wear make up or jewerly and I'm not the girly, frilly, pink type so I guess the mistake is an honest one. It does make my BF mad when it happens but I guess I've gotten so accustom to it the mistake really does not bother me anymore. I'm comfortable with who I am and that is all that counts.

[Kitsune06]

y'know...
before moving to the PNW I wore jeans and baseball caps much more often. Midwestern thing, you know. got it a lot more then. (and YES I know how to roll my bill- though bill-rollers will say I roll mine 'like a farmer'. it sheds the rain well but doesn't look as sporty. Yada yada)

[solobiker]

Well for me it used to happen when I was younger and in Jr HS. One time I walked into the girls locker room to change for gym class and a few girls screamed and said you don't belong in here, this is the girls locker room. Also when I was in 7th grade, a 12th grade boy threw me up against a locker and threatened to beat me up as he thought I was a boy that had given him a dirty look.

[Kitsune06]

Yup. That's happened to me. ...hmm. It's happened that bigger, burly women have thrown me up against lockers (and crammed me into them...)

I had too much fun with it. We had a 'switch day' in HS during that week before homecoming when everyone comes up with weird stuff to do (guess who did that. HAHAHAHA Student Council could be fun...) so I went online and bought a theater goatee (trimmed so it was a little thinner and finer- highschoolish), latex adhesive, etc.
That and baseball cap, head down, shaved-short blue hair poking out around baseball cap, baggy jeans packin' etc, I looked the part. Walking a friend home, I had *an acquaintence* say "HEY (friend I was walking with) WHO'S YOUR BF?! HE'S CUTE!!!!" :rolleyes: ;) So we walk over. she was :o :eek: :o it was hilarious. I make a very cute, sorta fae looking boy, apparently.

[Mr. Bloom]

people call me "sir" all the time...:D :D :D :D

[eofelis]

One day I was out on a road ride, climbing some switchbacks in the Colorado National Monument. An SUV went by and a teenager leaned out the window and yelled "Nice a** sir!!!"
:rolleyes:
I guess he didn't see the long braid hanging down my back.

[KnottedYet]

I've been called "son" or "sir" my whole life. And I'm 39 now.

I don't get it. I am a VERY curvy girl: biiiiig hips, tiny waist, broad shoulders and I'm not flat-chested. Oh no, not flat chested! I don't wear men's clothes very often, I always wear obvious earrings. Since getting my nose pierced it's only happened a couple times. I have a "girly" nose pierce.

Once it happend when I was wearing a pale lavendar t-shirt, huge purple earrings, and had SKnot yanking on my arm shouting "mommy mommy, I want a candy bar, mommy mommy mommy!"

Maybe it's because I'm 5'8" and stand tall. Maybe I give off "Butch Vibes". It's a mystery to me.

[Pax]

I've been called "son" or "sir" my whole life. And I'm 39 now.

I don't get it. I am a VERY curvy girl: biiiiig hips, tiny waist, broad shoulders and I'm not flat-chested. Oh no, not flat chested! I don't wear men's clothes very often, I always wear obvious earrings. Since getting my nose pierced it's only happened a couple times. I have a "girly" nose pierce.

Once it happend when I was wearing a pale lavendar t-shirt, huge purple earrings, and had SKnot yanking on my arm shouting "mommy mommy, I want a candy bar, mommy mommy mommy!"

Maybe it's because I'm 5'8" and stand tall. Maybe I give off "Butch Vibes". It's a mystery to me.

I got called sir once when I was wearing a swimsuit...this was pre-breast reduction and I had "E" cups. I looked the guy right in the eye and said "HEY, I have to carry these huge things around, the least you can do is notice them!". :D

[KnottedYet]

I was an "F" when I was nursing SKnot. Man, was I glad to go back down to a "C"!!!!

[mary9761]

around 10 years or so ago I had a child come up to me, I had short hair and evidently had a BAD bra on or something as this child asked me to my face, are you a lady or a man? I took one look at my chest and shook my head. I know I am/was heavy but they must have thought I had really HUGE man boobs is all I can say.

[Pax]

around 10 years or so ago I had a child come up to me, I had short hair and evidently had a BAD bra on or something as this child asked me to my face, are you a lady or a man? I took one look at my chest and shook my head. I know I am/was heavy but they must have thought I had really HUGE man boobs is all I can say.

When little kids ask me that I ask them "what do you think", it's lead to some great conversations with little people about stereotypes. All in all I think it's short hair that makes the difference.

[Kitsune06]

around 10 years or so ago I had a child come up to me, I had short hair and evidently had a BAD bra on or something as this child asked me to my face, are you a lady or a man? I took one look at my chest and shook my head. I know I am/was heavy but they must have thought I had really HUGE man boobs is all I can say.

I think all my bras are bad bras in that case:o :p

[mary9761]

I was and still wearing a 50 DDD at the time (totally stretched out of shape) when you're that large and have never had a formal fitting it's near impossible to find one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg that fit right. You also wear them till they are literally falling apart because they DO cost an arm and a leg. Of course it doesn't take long for them to stretch out of shape either. :o :(
I swear that's the first place my weight gains and the last place I lose in my chest. I can't understand those people who go have watermelons put on thier chest artificially, what a pain, literally

[Pax]

... I can't understand those people who go have watermelons put on thier chest artificially, what a pain, literally
Agree 100%, I spent a small fortune to get rid of mine...worth every penny ten times over! ;)

[mimitabby]

Now, on the other hand, when we took my younger son Tom to Italy with us for the first time, a number of concerned people asked us if he was a boy or a girl. Here's a guy who was absolutely bristling with muscles, almost no body fat, 23 years old, a wimpy moustache(those hair genes again) and a huge long fat red braid of hair down to his butt.
It was hilarious. (to me)
One elderly relative once she was assured that Tommaso was really a boy said to me, "I do like his hair" :rolleyes:

[Bluetree]

I think all my bras are bad bras in that case:o :p

What's a bra? :rolleyes:

[Aggie_Ama]

Blue - I've never been mistaken for a boy, but once years ago when I was all dressed up (well, as dressed up as tomboy me would get :rolleyes: ) and had gone out to dinner, the wait person asked when I was due. I said, "due?" and she said, "yes, when are you going to have your baby".

Uh....I went on a diet the next day - right after the dinner and dessert digested! :D


I had this happen when I was dressed up for a funeral visitation. I had an older cousin (my father's age) pat me on the stomach and tell me "No one told me the good news." This was when I was my skinniest (size 4-6). I had Mexican for lunch and I said "Sorry, I am just bloated. It is my ENCHILADA baby". I was so upset because I had been working my tail off to get that small.

[margo49]

All my childhood (*and* I wore skirts - no jeans in those days).
In my 20's I wore the usual looney-feminist uniform and the question then as if I was a "sea retaining wall" or not.
I enjoyed the androgny actually (tho' I felt embarassed as a reflection of the embarrassment of the other person who had made this "horrendous" mistake).
Has happened hardly at all since I was 30 - must be something hormonal or pheremonal.
Still *feel* the same ie human of yet-to-be-determined gender.
I read something once that there is a multiplicity of gender-determining indicators eg chromosomes, self-image, hormonal balances, physical "parts". So I personally think I have some contra-indications in my body/blood/brain/heart
Tho' I did feel more obviously a woman when I was pregnant. And then I thought "Ah, so *that* is what "they" have been on about all these years!"
It was a pleasant experience to be normal ie what people expect ; tho' I suspect if it had gone on for too much longer it would have begun to pall!!

[Bikingmomof3]

I swear that's the first place my weight gains and the last place I lose in my chest. I can't understand those people who go have watermelons put on thier chest artificially, what a pain, literally

I gain there first and it takes forever to lose there. I also cannot imagine opting to be my bra size...well maybe if there was any perk left I would feel differently?

[mimitabby]

Ha, I really wonder about women who pay thousands for augmentation. Don't they know about gravity?? Imagine how silly they will look when they are 60?!?!?
Plastic surgeons should be REQUIRED to show pictures of what women look like 20 or 30 years post surgery.

[mary9761]

I gain there first and it takes forever to lose there. I also cannot imagine opting to be my bra size...well maybe if there was any perk left I would feel differently?


Ha, I really wonder about women who pay thousands for augmentation. Don't they know about gravity?? Imagine how silly they will look when they are 60?!?!?
Plastic surgeons should be REQUIRED to show pictures of what women look like 20 or 30 years post surgery.


LOL isn't THAT the truth! Now that I am losing weight it's even WORSE. I swore that by the time I was MUCH older and lost weight I'd look like something out of National Geographics and would have to roll the emply bags up to put INTO a bra. Well, I already look like something out National Geographics and it ain't pretty either :eek:
The only time gravity is my friend is on a nice DOWNHILL!! :p

[Trekhawk]

Well, I already look like something out National Geographics and it ain't pretty either :eek:
The only time gravity is my friend is on a nice DOWNHILL!! :p

LOL - Mary you are such a laugh. Dont worry you are not alone even us girls with smaller boobs still find gravity isn't our friend.:D

[silver]

I can't say that anyone has actually said something to me, but I used to get those quizzical second looks, like why are you wearing all those girly (long hair, earrings and sports bra) but have no female like features. My body was originally built like a 12 year old boy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not curvy in anyway. I have no Bum, straight through the waist. I'm 5'8" and 110 pounds.

So, I'm one of those people that you all may not understand.....I did have breast augmentation. But I went from NO breast tissue to a size B. (technically a large B, small C) They aren't heavy. The comments make me think you all might be talking about women who get larger ones, like DD's and larger.

Funny story, When I was getting married to Mr. My mother got me this very lovely Christian Dior Nightgown and Robe. Satiny and lacy (TOTALLY not my style) but I was young and tried to be nice, so I tried it on for her and some of my friends. They all rolled on the floor laughing (I laughed with them because it was hilarious!!!) because I filled it out better with my shoulder blades better than I filled out with my chest.

PS: I never did get around to wearing that gown and robe :p

[jobob]

Back when Lee & I were dating and early in our marriage - nearly 20 years ago !! - his hair was very blond and curly, and he wore it longer than he does now.

We were sitting in a booth in a restaurant facing each other, and a waitress approached us coming towards me, so she saw my face and the back of Lee's head.

The waitress registered the curly blond hair and the two small hoop earrings in his left ear (he was also a skinny lad back then) as she approached, and the first words out of her mouth were "what can I get for you ladies today?".

Then she glanced at Lee and the poor woman looked absolutely horrified when she realized her mistake.

Lee & I burst out laughing and I reassured her that his hair was so beautiful (damn him) that it was an easy mistake to make.

This actually happened on two separate occasions. :)

[mary9761]

Silver you are correct when you assume I'm speaking of those who get GINORMOUS implants put in. The last time I was flat chested was when I was 7 years old so I can see getting REASONABLE "natural" looking implants, but getting larger than a C cup is asking for trouble (seriously) I wore a 36 C bra in the 6th grade at 10 or 11 yrs old. Talk about growing up (literally) too fast. There has only been one time in my adult life that I was able to buy pretty, lacey (albeit underwire which I hated) bras and that was before my original back injury when I got down to approximate 175-180#
Right now I'm lucky to find bras from Hoosier Tent and Awning :p (seriously though have to pay $25+ for an ugly bra that holds its shape for a couple times before it starts drooping and sliding down from where it's supposed to be from weight)

[jobob]

To be honest, Silver, I've thought about breast augmentation from time to time. I have a heck of a time finding A-cup bras that I actually fill out ! :o

But, I guess I never really wanted to do it enough to go through with it ... back when I was a po' grad student and postdoc I couldn't afford it, and nowadays, eh, it seems kind of silly for me to do it as I'm approaching the big 5-oh.

[silver]

Mary! You are hilarious! It's good to see that your injury hasn't put a damper on your wit and charisma!!!!

I hadn't heard of this store of which you speak....Hoosier Tent and Awning! ;) ROFLMAO!!!! Is it in Indy? ;)

Off to the gym......Mr. seems to be in a remission for the moment.....Florence Silver-Nightingale will take her chances and run!

[mary9761]

I just remembered several times that I was out with my then single younger sister and neice (again short hair) when on more than one occasion we had servers at restaurants call me SIR. Again, I looked at my chest and thought does EVERYONE need glasses???? Both my sister and I were/are LARGE women (she's at least taller so her weight is carried a bit different) but we've also been mistaken for a couple on more than one occasion and had a server refuse to wait on us, needless to say I went to the management IMMEDIATELY with THAT complaint. I explained to the management that we were in that establishment nearly weekly (at that time) and had no problem with most of the servers and that not like I should HAVE to explain that I was with my neice and sister, for the server to assume we were a couple was discrimination when she refused to wait on us when literally going to all the tables around us and snickering and pointing at us to other servers. We ate free that day and she was fired evidently because we never saw her again.
Most of the time when I got the SIR comment, we just looked at each other and laughed like NOT AGAIN can they not see my chest?? Granted my sister had longer hair and looked a bit more feminine than I did at the time, but there were still times when I was dressed a bit more feminine when we got it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well I think we are all talking about just having normal size range boobs. Obvoisly if someone has huge boobs and is uncomfortable they should be able to get reductions to feel better, and the same holds true for opposite problem like Silver did. It becomes sad when a woman with "normal" sized breasts chooses to get huge implants that look so unnatural and uncomfortable. (It's not normal looking to have cleavage on TOP when you're just standing nude!) :eek: Oh well our society is strange and twisted when it comes to female "ideal" beauty and sadly many women allow other people's ideas to cause them to distort their bodies into unnatural proportions.
We walked through a sculpture park one day which had many Greek/Aphrodite type marble nude statues, all with lovely forms and what seemed to be A or B cup size breasts. DH's teenage son at one point said "Why are all these statue women flat-chested??" I looked at him and said "You've obviously been on internet way too much."

[Mr. Bloom]

My body was originally built like a 12 year old boy.

So, I'm one of those people that you all may not understand.....I did have breast augmentation.

PS: I never did get around to wearing that gown and robe :p

Just for the record, she never looked like a 12 year old boy to me AND she did the surgery for HER not me. I've loved her just fine before and still love her now.

:D :D On the nightgown and robe...here's the rest of the story (as I lay here in bed with a stomach bug). At our wedding, I had a 104 degree temperature. The Dr. gave me 'interferon', a dose for me and a dose for her ($32/pill 20 years ago). Getting to Boca Raton by plane was a fiasco finally arriving at 1:30 AM. We were whipped. Long story short, my fever broke at 3AM and I awoke in a cold sweat and the bed was drenched with sweat. SO, on our first night of marriage, and without thinking, I had to wake Silver up and let her know that I had "wet the bed"...not thinking of what I was describing!:D :D And 20 years later, I'm still sick in bed

[silver]

Thread hijack topic No. 1:

Awwww....Mr. I wish I could make you feel better.

I do remember, on our honeymoon, having room service serve us gingerale in champagne glasses.

We did both recover in time to enjoy our honeymoon!

And on to our thread hijack topic number 2:......

Lisa, yes, I do think we long to have some normalcy. My cousin had a breast reduction. She and I are now the same size, her going down about the same volume I went up......If we could have only done the exchange ourselves. Ha!

[missymaya]

I used to coach at a lake and there wasn't any running water or electricity so no showers or other facilites. All I wore were jeans or khaki shorts to length of my knees, t-shirts, rain jackets and a ball cap with sunglasses. I always had sandals and had wet and dirty feet and usually forgot to shave, so whenever I went to the store or any place for that matter, it was 'thank you sir' and then I would reply 'have a great day' with a smile on my face, being nice and my voice would reveal my sex! Man, I miss those days of not having to worry about nice dress pants and work heels and other dress clothes and makeup :( Blugh, not my style for the most part.
As for boobs, I'm fortunate enough to have a nice sized B but they have an odd shape sort of(they dont look like triangles or blobs and if they did, yikes:eek: ) They're weird looking, especially during what I like to call 'magic happy fun time'.

[Popoki_Nui]

Yep, happens to me occasionally as well, and strangely, more often in summer when it's pretty obvious I'm NOT a guy. Yeesh. I've never really been girly-girl thanks in part to a military upbringing, and being tall doesn't help either, but even modestly endowed as I am I occasionally get the 'sir' thing.

Before I retired from the optical biz, when I got called 'sir' I'd just offer the offender my business card (imprinted with my first name Sherry, and my title)and suggest (in a serious but tongue-in-cheek sort of way) they come see me for an eye exam, or at least new glasses!

I've never really liked my first name...think it's a little too sucky for me...but using the business card trick works every time. :D I still keep a card with me for those who are suffering apparent visual difficulties. :rolleyes:

[tygab]

let's see... I have my whole life had short hair and dress in more comfortable than stylish clothing (like fleece tops and jeans when left to my own choices). I actually am probably more girly now than ever since I have allowed light blue and a few other shades into my wardrobe. And my bike has pink on it! ;) I am petite and fairly thin. However, I also have some curves and a very feminine face so I've always thought it should seem pretty obvious.

But, yes, when I was a kid I got mistaken for a boy constantly which bothered me. Skiing a few years ago, I got very politely asked in the lift line (shuffling along) "Little boy, could you go faster?" I was pretty miffed when it happened but now my husband and I laugh about it and I understand it's hard to tell underneath the gloves, helmet, goggles etc. It doesn't happen as much now. I think I must have some 'womanly wisdom' aura now that I am in my mid thirties. Who knows...

[Mimosa]

I get mistaken for a boy occasionally especially when doing sports. But I am 5'11", weigh 160lbs, need L in shirt size and lack great curves so the error is easily made :rolleyes: :o Though it's a great bod to do sports with :D ;) which outweighs the downside of being occasionally called 'sir'. I allways think "Are you blind, would a boy have breasts or something?"

It could be worse, my bro is 6'3" and weighs 190, it must have been the food they serve here since my parents are both 5'5"

[annie]

So, I'm one of those people that you all may not understand.....I did have breast augmentation. But I went from NO breast tissue to a size B. (technically a large B, small C) They aren't heavy. The comments make me think you all might be talking about women who get larger ones, like DD's and larger. :p

Hey, Silver,

I understand. I just did the same thing, 5 days ago. And am so happy I finally went ahead with it. No - I didn't get big bazookas. LOL! Mostly just filled in what was left empty after nursing 3 kiddos. No DD's here! I'll still be able to ride on my aerobars and not bump into boobs. This seems to be such a touchy topic among women. I've been real hesitant to post on these boards after I broached this subject in another thread and pretty much got shot down. Maybe I was just too sensitive. Anyway, it's done, I'm pleased as can be. I'll still be the same me, just a bit curvier. And I'll be back on the boards whenever I think I have a contribution to make. I admire all you women, and respect your opinions, whether they agree with mine or not.

Annie

[silver]

OH, Annie! I'm so glad that you felt comfortable saying something here. Now Take care of yourself!!!!! I've had mine for two years now and they get better each year. Mine are small, but I do bump them in aero position. :p I tuck in really low.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm pretty sure that most of us here are in favor of women being able to make decisions for their bodies in order to feel and look "normal" (whatever that is!). I think there is a big difference in altering one's body surgically solely in order to please others and in a way that is bizarrely distorted and abnormal -like all those poor xxx actresses with giant hard beachballs sliding around under their chest skin. :eek: :eek: :( :( I read that poor Anna Nicole Smith had already had TWO additional breast operations trying to "re-fix" things following the birth of her baby 5 months months ago. So sad.
Certainly nothing wrong with trying to look more like an "average" woman, though! You go, Annie and Silver!

[mimitabby]

We walked through a sculpture park one day which had many Greek/Aphrodite type marble nude statues, all with lovely forms and what seemed to be A or B cup size breasts. DH's teenage son at one point said "Why are all these statue women flat-chested??" I looked at him and said "You've obviously been on internet way too much."

welll, this says it all. While everyone is being bombarded on all sides by these artificial women in the media, what must it be like for these young guys and gals when they find out what real women look like!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

welll, this says it all. While everyone is being bombarded on all sides by these artificial women in the media, what must it be like for these young guys and gals when they find out what real women look like!

Assuming there will be enough natural un-altered women still around to find out what they look like! :o :rolleyes:

[spokewench]

... been mistaken for a boy?

Aside from a mistake in a race where they put me in the 35-39 MALE category, it seems to be happening with greater frequency. Last summer, I was taking a break from work at Del Mar and a security guard came up from behind me and asked, "Are you lost, son?"
I thought is was a fluke. My friends had a good laugh over it. But it has happened more times this year, usually by salespeople.

I don't wear makeup very often (two-a-day workouts put an end to that) and if I have no reason to Dress-to-Impress I'm usually in yoga-type clothes or fitness apparel. I don't wear men's clothes, but I'm not the flowers-n-pink type person, either. I admit I don't exactly have a lot of curves (5-1, size 0), but I'm a 39 y.o. old woman and I'm starting to get a complex.

Am I alone in this? :confused: :confused: :confused:

I didn't see this thread until now. LOL Bluetree - you are way too cute to be taken for a boy! But I can see the mistake from behind. My Mom is 5'0" and always was very slim and petite. We have some pictures of her in boy jeans from the back when were out fishing in a Kansas pond - I'm pretty sure I could have mistaken her for a boy if I didn't know it was my Mom.

Don't worry about what other people say - you really are pretty and the authentic you is way prettier than any fake, enhanced, blond California hopeful.

Well, so now, let me tell you a story. You know that I used to work on the Thoroughbred horse race track and back then I was a skinny, no make-up, in jeans and tee shirt, hard working, strong armed kind of gal, short hair and all. Well, one day I was in New Orleans and we went down to go to the bars and a couple of male jockeys and I went into a gay bar. We didn't know it at first cause there weren't many people in there when we first went in. You can imagine it's these two very small men and me, a pretty small woman, all sitting there bsing and drinking. After a while this really funny looking guy in some really wild colored clothing came up to me and asked me if he could buy me a drink. Yep, he thought I was a gay guy! Boy, did I take some ribbing for that for a very long time from my colleagues.

[mimitabby]

Well, so now, let me tell you a story. You know that I used to work on the Thoroughbred horse race track and back then I was a skinny, no make-up, in jeans and tee shirt, hard working, strong armed kind of gal, short hair and all. Well, one day I was in New Orleans and we went down to go to the bars and a couple of male jockeys and I went into a gay bar. We didn't know it at first cause there weren't many people in there when we first went in. You can imagine it's these two very small men and me, a pretty small woman, all sitting there bsing and drinking. After a while this really funny looking guy in some really wild colored clothing came up to me and asked me if he could buy me a drink. Yep, he thought I was a gay guy! Boy, did I take some ribbing for that for a very long time from my colleagues.

Well, Spoke, at least they thought you were the cutest! :D

[Bluetree]

My gay (male) friends always have the best taste! :D

[Pax]

My gay (male) friends always have the best taste! :D

So true! I miss my friend Drew, he would walk into our house and just shake his head..."oh honey, you gals have got to STOP lining your furniture up along the wall, this is a home not a hospital waiting room!". :D

[pyxichick]

More mistaken for a guy stories...

My mom and sister are both on the ambulance service in a small town in WI. One day after riding for two hours in the back of the ambulance with a patient, he turned to my sister (who is 45) and said "young man, shouldn't you be in school?"

Another time my mom and sister were on the same ambulance run and the patient looked at them (they both have short hair) and asked "are you brothers?" and my mom said "yeah, he's older" and pointed at my sister.

It's all about the short hair. I haven't been mistaken for a boy ever since I grew my hair out to a short bob, but I guarantee that if it got shorter it would happen again.

[Pax]

...It's all about the short hair. I haven't been mistaken for a boy ever since I grew my hair out to a short bob, but I guarantee that if it got shorter it would happen again.

I think you're right, I grew mine out into a ponytail (which looked horrendously frumpy on me BTW :D ) and not only did I stop getting called "sir", peoples behavior towards me changed noticeably. Men were much more polite and women would talk to me more (chatty stuff like when washing hands in a public restroom). I cut my hair short again in 2004 but with the post-menopausal softness I have now I don't get "sir" too often.

[Raindrop]

I just read this post through and recalled a few weeks ago when I was in the vegetable section of the grocery store when a gentleman in a wheelchair asked me to hand him a plastic bag. When I handed it to him, he did a double-take and said, "Oh, I thought you were a child" not saying whether he thought I was male or female. I'm very short, and have the figure of a twelve year old boy and very short hair. My husband thought it was pretty funny.

And yes, I've thought about getting enhanced, but as I get older I figure if I'm going to go under the knife, I'd rather have it for stuff that's sagging above the neck. Plus, getting breasts at this stage might throw my balance off!;)

[Pax]

I just read this post through and recalled a few weeks ago when I was in the vegetable section of the grocery store when a gentleman in a wheelchair asked me to hand him a plastic bag. When I handed it to him, he did a double-take and said, "Oh, I thought you were a child" not saying whether he thought I was male or female. I'm very short, and have the figure of a twelve year old boy and very short hair. My husband thought it was pretty funny.

And yes, I've thought about getting enhanced, but as I get older I figure if I'm going to go under the knife, I'd rather have it for stuff that's sagging above the neck. Plus, getting breasts at this stage might throw my balance off!;)

That happens to my tiny little SO as well, she said having her hair turn grey was a blessing in disguise...now at least people know she's a grown up. :p

[mary9761]

And yes, I've thought about getting enhanced, but as I get older I figure if I'm going to go under the knife, I'd rather have it for stuff that's sagging above the neck. Plus, getting breasts at this stage might throw my balance off!;)


I couldn't help but laugh here, if I had $5 for every time that HAS happened, I'd have that Pilot I've been lusting after LOL..:p :D

[Jolt]

It's all about the short hair. I haven't been mistaken for a boy ever since I grew my hair out to a short bob, but I guarantee that if it got shorter it would happen again.

I agree (just happened to find this thread!). I was mistaken for a boy a few times in high school/college--I hardly ever wear makeup, I like comfortable clothes like jeans and t-shirts, and at the time I had my hair very short (sometimes spiked). However, I do have curves and a fairly feminine face, and always wear earrings, so one would still think that wouldn't happen (maybe the loose-fitting jeans and t-shirts hid the curves). It was embarrassing, and finally in college I decided to grow my hair out after realizing that the style I had it in just wasn't very attractive or feminine especially given that I hate wearing makeup and am not the type to dress in the frillier clothes. It is now down to mid-back and quite wavy, and I usually pull it back in a low ponytail; I haven't been mistaken for a boy since!

[surgtech1956]

I usually get mistaken for a guy when I'm in Home Depot. I do have short - spikey hair, don't wear makeup, wear jeans, tshirts, sweatshirts, cargo shorts. I have this Adidas jacket that is orange and navy blue, must look like the Home Depot attire, because I'll be looking at something and other shoppers will come up and say 'sir' - they're more embarrassed than I am. Maybe I should get a job at Home Depot. :D

[Mr. Bloom]

One time, Silver was mistaken for "pregnant", does that count?

Of course, that was years ago before she got a buff SIX PACK!

[Crankin]

You have to be really dumb to call someone "pregnant." Many years ago I was at an aerobics class with a colleague from work. In the middle of the class, someone said to her, "When is your baby due?" in a very excited voice. When she replied "I'm not pregnant," the person was mortified...

[PinkBike]

just found this thread. i've been mistaken for a boy all my life - like someone else said, i must just have a butch presence. i hate it, and i'm very sensitive about it. i do not have a feminine face nor am i curvaceous at all. and i have a deep voice (i have never NOT been called sir on the phone).

i've grown my hair way long, and that seems to be the cure for me. i would cut it way short if i could, at age 52 it seems to be, i dunno, like pretentious or something. but i fear the "sir" response so i keep it long.

my husband tells me almost daily how beautiful i am, i don't believe him. but i do believe that HE thinks so. i wish i could just be happy that he thinks so, but i've been hurt so many times by cruel people who don't even know me.

now i've gained weight post-menopause, and i'm feeling low because i have lost my one last great pride - my well defined legs and abs. and with the weight gain i got a bonus - a drop in fitness.

so i think i will start a diet/exercise program right away (besides the 100 miles i ride a week).

anyone got any suggestions for post-menopause diet?

[Mr. Bloom]

my husband tells me almost daily how beautiful i am, i don't believe him. but i do believe that HE thinks so. i wish i could just be happy that he thinks so, but i've been hurt so many times by cruel people who don't even know me.


A husband considers the whole person:) :) Others don't.

I am absolutely sure that your husband is 100% right so forget what the unimportant 'other folks' think. Please accept his affirmation offered in love.

[nafula]

I'm 6'2" and get called Sir all the time. Usually when I'm wearing a baseball cap.

It happened one time when I was walking to the counter to buy a Coke. The guy at the register called me sir before he realized I was woman. He felt so bad about it he gave me the Coke for free.

So its not always a bad thing to be mistaken for a guy. :)

[mimitabby]

my husband tells me almost daily how beautiful i am, i don't believe him. but i do believe that HE thinks so. i wish i could just be happy that he thinks so, but i've been hurt so many times by cruel people who don't even know me.

now i've gained weight post-menopause, and i'm feeling low because i have lost my one last great pride - my well defined legs and abs. and with the weight gain i got a bonus - a drop in fitness.

so i think i will start a diet/exercise program right away (besides the 100 miles i ride a week).

anyone got any suggestions for post-menopause diet?

Pink bike you look feminine in your teensy avatar photo.. I clicked on the link and if that's you in the trek jersey; i can see you have chiselled features, but they are nice features. I suggest you forget the cruel people who are clueless, and take a good look in the mirror before you get too old to see your lovely features.

One of the most stunning things for me over the years has been to go back and look at pictures of me that are 20 or 30 years old. WHY didn't I think i looked nice then????

and the bottom line that you probably already know; don't be too attached to your looks because they're going to change... for the worse... if you live long enough. what's important is how you take care of your health and your soul.. (not religious here; but it's true)

[caligal]

I was mistaken for a boy when I was young. Had the bowl haircut in the 70's like most kids. Although I was out to dinner with my brother, his wife and my mom and my bro has long hair, the server walked up to the table with his my brother's back to him and asked how are you ladies doing tonight. The server was horrified, :eek: but we thought it was pretty funny.

[PinkBike]

thanks mimi. by the way i think i met raleighdon last year at one of the rides on the west side. being new to the forum i didnt realize i was in the presence of a legend!

[iFKA]

just found this thread.

same here...

I have long hair and I look very feminine now, but when my hair was short many people thought I was a boy. Once I went to a picnic and I wore my track suit... What happened is one of the funniest things that year. I came into a public toilet and one elderly woman start shouting at me how this is a womens section :eek: , aren't I'm ashamed :eek: and so on ,and so on When she finally finished I told her I'm a girl and she became so ashamed, her face turned red like a lobster. I thought I'd just die laughing. :D :D :D

I look younger than I am, it runs in the family. So now I'm 24, with make up I look like I'm 19, and without it like I'm 16. I'm thinking off cutting my hair short again, there's no doubt I'll be mistaken for a boy again.

I'm sending my picture (sorry, don't have with short hair in digital form) just for you to see how I don't look like a boy, but there are many elderly people who think you can't be a woman if you're having a short hair, so I wouldn't be upset if they again say I'm a boy.
4029

[Voodoo Sally]

I'm tall and with really short hair. I've always preferred short hair. But yes, I have been mistaken for a man many times in my life, usually at a sideways glance or not a close look. But as time goes by, I care less and less about that. Just this past weekend, I was doing a mt. bike race, and a few times a passing rider or one I was overtaking said something like, "nice going, buddy," or "keep it up, man," or "on your left, dude." It's kind of funny, to feel like for a minute that I was an impostor, sneaking in on the "world of men", and seeing how they talk to one another.

[abvnx]

once while i was in a public pool/community rec place sort of thing. i was heading to the ladies washroom. the guy at the desk tried to stop me saying "young man!" i had no idea he was talking to me. my sister told him "um, thats a girl" i think i was about 10-12. that sort of thing happened a lot.
i insisted on short hair cuz it was easy to take care of. didnt ware earrings until i was over 18. and hated dresses. and im fairly flat chested.

i had major self esteem issues growing up. my mom used to make fun of me for having a flat chest and fat thighs and butt. lots of times getting mistaken for a boy. now i have longish hair and it dosnt happen. i do get "shouldnt you be in school?" i like hearing that now:) last week a busdriver thought i was under 18. i almost wanted to hug him!:D