We live in a society in which equality between the sexes is gradually being established . The woman has gone from being a helpless, ignorant, laughing and defenseless figure that must be maintained and protected while she is dedicated to taking care of the children and maintaining the home to establishing herself as an equal figure with the same rights and possibilities as the man.

However, despite the fact that our society has made great strides towards such equality, there are still shreds of a way of thinking in which women are considered inferior or in which their actions are limited to cosmetic or sexualized actions. This is visible in areas such as work or academia, or in the world of advertising.

Throughout this article we present 25 macho questions that can attest to the persistence of the roles and position traditionally given to the female gender.

Twenty-five sexist questions

While it is more difficult today to find extremist positions that defend the supremacy of men over women in our society, some of the traditional gender prejudices and stereotypes are still visible in different questions in our day-to-day life.

Sometimes sexism itself is evident, while at other times it may be more disguised and even unconscious . Some questions may only be sexist in certain contexts. The following questions are a sample of this.

1. Are you on those days of the month?

Traditionally, women have been seen as emotional, labile and with a mood that can be explosive, especially during menstruation. When a woman is angry or upset, many people assume that it is because she is menstruating and not because of other factors.

2. Have you thought about giving up your career to devote yourself to your family?

This question is commonly asked in job interviews with women . Likewise, it is assumed that working for women is a temporary hobby.

3. Have you ever slept with someone to get your job?

When a woman succeeds in climbing up the social ladder and into the job, her capacities, skills and the effort she may have made are often ignored and the credit for the climb is given to the use of sex as an easy resource.

4. Wouldn’t you feel guilty about leaving your baby in the hands of a stranger while you are working?

A way of blaming women for having a professional life and at the same time prolonging the gender stereotype of the female as the caretaker of the home and the children.

5. Can you put your husband on?

Although it does not happen so often nowadays, it is frequent that when presenting technical details or when informing about economic aspects or contracting services such as electricity or gas, men are identified as the responsible for the job, ignoring women.

6. Will the lady also want wine?

When spirits are ordered, it is usually assumed that they have been ordered by the male and served to the male, and later to the female in case she feels like it.

7. How do you manage to stay so young at your age?

Physical attractiveness is an element attributed to the female sex . It is usually valued that mature women maintain a young and wrinkle-free appearance, and if they do not achieve this they are usually perceived as less attractive and interesting, and even as less socially valuable. This does not occur to the same extent with men, who may even be considered more attractive.

8. Would you be willing to come to work in a miniskirt?

In many types of business, employees are required to dress in a way that insinuates their attributes , using them as a lure to attract men.

9. Do you have children or plan to have them?

A question that is common in job interviews and that can often lead to discrimination and exclusion of the candidate. It is generally due to the fact that the company assumes that there is a possibility of the woman focusing on her family nucleus and neglecting her work, as well as taking maternity leave.

10. Is this how a lady behaves?

In some regions and cultures, it is considered unfeminine and unworthy of a woman to manifest character, competitiveness, spontaneity, intelligence, sensuality or simply to differ from what is established by men.

11. A woman driving? I better take another cab

It is common to hear phrases or sayings like “woman at the wheel, constant danger” . Part of the population once considered that women do not have good driving skills, a belief that has been perpetuated in the form of a stereotype.

12. How does it feel to be a couple of…

Many women of great fame and importance on their own merits who have paired up or are relatives of well-known men have often been presented as the “partner of” or “relative of”, their contributions ignored.

13. Does your husband help you with the housework?

This question is sexist in the sense that it is assumed that the household tasks are the responsibility of the woman and the man at most helps her with them, instead of considering that the household belongs to both and therefore the tasks should be shared equally. It is not a matter of one doing them and the other helping, but of both collaborating.

14. Don’t you want to have children? Aren’t you worried about feeling empty?

The main role attributed to women is that of mother . Women who decide not to have children often find that their environment considers that they will not feel fulfilled if they do not fulfil this role.

15. How can you think of going out alone at that hour?

The image of women as fragile and vulnerable creatures still survives in comments like this, in some cases even preventing them from going out until late at night unless accompanied by a man.

16. How do you feel about your boss being a woman?

Another effect of machismo is the relatively low presence of women in high places . Generally, the high positions in the hierarchy of enterprises have been occupied by men, and some workers with outdated ways of thinking may find it strange or even refuse to work under a woman.

17. Will you adopt your husband’s last name?

Although today it is a decadent tradition and does not apply in our territory, in some countries like the United States still retains the tradition of adopting the surname of the male after marriage, ignoring the original.

18. Would you flirt with the customers to make them stay longer?

Seducing the clientele is something that women are often asked to do in front of the public in order to buy or consume more.

19. How do you reconcile your personal or work life?

This sentence is not sexist or macho. However, it can be observed that there is a tendency for it to be used much more if the person being interviewed is a woman.

20. Is owning a home as rewarding as having a paying job?

Belonging to the survey of the Center for Public Studies of this year, the question assumes that the main role of women is that of housewife.

21. Don’t you think you’re eating too much? You’re going to get fat

Although at present something similar occurs with men, traditionally it has been women who have received the greatest pressure to maintain an image that complies with beauty stereotypes . This has led to the emergence and spread of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

22. Why do you dress like that if you don’t want to be looked at?

A typical question even today. It is typical of situations where there is an unwanted sexual approach to the woman in question or even in cases of rape. The victim is blamed for the situation by considering that her clothing or behaviour has been a provocative act that makes her worthy of sexual harassment.

Doesn’t your husband care that you earn more than he does?

The wage gap remains one of the most gendered aspects. In addition, there is a tendency for a man who earns less than his wife to be seen as unfit or even supported. On the other hand, the fact that it is the woman who earns less or does not have a paid activity is not so badly seen.

24. Will you work once the baby is born?

Pregnant women may have been questioned about this. The question is whether the fact that a child is born will cause them to give up their work altogether in order to devote themselves exclusively to it.

25. And what would a woman know about this?

This question reflects the belief that women do not have the capacity to reflect on or find a solution to a particular issue just because they are women.