Weird question: Has anyone here ever...

[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 ) 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.

[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..

[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.

[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.

[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)

[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 , aren't I'm ashamed 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.

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.
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[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.