Are Men Intimidated By Successful Women?
I was discussing this topic with some friends the other day. I’ve stood behind the notion that men are intimidated by a successful woman. It makes sense. Men are typically the bread winners of the family, so a woman who is better at that than a man would upset the balance of the relationship.
I have actually tested this theory. 5 years ago, I wholesaled shoes. My territory was the entire country of Canada, and I was the sole representative for 3 name brands, one of which was brand new to the industry, and I introduced it. Yet, when men asked what I did for a living, I told them I worked in a shoe store. And they loved it. I probably got hit on more during the year or so that I did that than at any other time in my life. I lied about what I do repeatedly. I got with secretary a lot, if I look especially spicy, I say receptionist. And men totally dig it. I don’t think I would turn anyone on by saying that I’m totally into reconciling accounts, or that some of the best times I’ve had were during audits.
Logically, I would think that men are into it because they feel intellectually and financially superior. But I was thinking about it further. Men are into secretaries, flight attendants and waitresses because they are feminine and sexy, not because they feel superior to the people who have these jobs. They just like to be able to say “I’m dating a waitress”. When I said I worked in a shoe store, I’m sure men just saw it as a womanly thing to do.
Come to think of it, when I would respond with my shoe-store career to my boyfriend’s friend, he would always jump in to let them know what I really did. I always saw that as a flaw, but now am rethinking my attitude. I should drunk text him sometime.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Men also like flight attendants, secretaries and waitresses because they are in the ’service’ industry and thus are used to taking care of people. Same goes for nurses and customer service reps.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Customer service reps? Really?
What about teachers. Forgot about them.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I’m intimidated by successful women.
It stems from an evening I had sitting in the lounge of the Vintage Chophouse in Calgary.
I approached a group of lawyers sitting around drinking martinis and I approached a hot female lawyer. She was formally dressed wearing a buisness suit, dark rimmed glasses and had her hair up in a bun with some Chopstick looking sticks stuck through her bun. I asked her if I could buy her a drink and she told me she was busy having a converstation. I called her a bitch and she stabbed me in the neck with one of her chopsticks.
Ever since then, I’ve stuck to university pubs and highschools for girls with low self esteem and daddy issues.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
You gave Brett such a hard time for getting stoned early in the day…yet you say things that indicate that you may possibly have a drug problem yourself.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
In the last 2 day’s I’ve been accused of
1) Being young enough to have a 55 year old granddaddy
2) Being stoned
I must come off brilliant with my writing style!
December 17th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you have “teen” in your name?
December 17th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Good call.
Maybe I should change my name to Jamaal Abdul Shabaaz
December 17th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I’m not sure what that would achieve, but ok.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
I can’t really say I care too much about profession. I don’t really like to hear bitching about work though so I think I’m more interested in level of happiness with work/career/life…
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:03 am
Come on Darcie, another stereotype gone wild. Men are not intimidated by successful women. I am married to an attorney. She is not only successful at work, but she has also been successful in choosing the right man who chose her. Your problem is not with men. Look inward to find the answer to the question, why is Darcie still single.
December 22nd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I only go after and date successful women. End of story.
December 27th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
I don’t think so. I always thought that was a cop-out that some women use for the fact that they can’t get a man.That way they don’t have to any sort of self-reflection, to see what might be wrong with their own behavior, instead they just blame it on everyone else. Sort of like the pretty girl in High School that has no female friends, and tells herself it’s because all the other girls are jealous of her, not that it’s because she is just a b****.
Although I suppose some men could feel a bit uncomfortable if the woman is too much more successful than they are. But I also think that the women would feel the same way. All of these “successful” women who think that they’re intimidating men, how many of them would really be interested in a man who makes significantly less money then them?
How many female executives are dating men that work in shoe stores, or are flight attendants or secretaries?
Heck, how many women who work in shoe stores are interested in dating men that work in shoe stores? They usually want men who make a lot more money than them. So, really, there’s plenty of shallowness to go around between men and woman. Neither gender has a lock on it.
December 29th, 2009 at 10:19 am
@Bonzer, you didn’t read the post. You seem to know exactly why I am still single, yet you never say why.
@Fred, good for you!
@JR haha, touche. I always wonder if I could date a bus driver. I have nothing against bus drivers or anything, but I really wonder how much of my attraction towards men is based on what they do. It’s easy for me to say that what they do for a living doesn’t matter…but I’m not sure that’s the case.