10+ Daily Struggles Only Women Will Understand

1. You have hundreds of bobby pins but can't find one

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You’ve bought tons and tons of them over the years, but those bobby pins always disappear before you know it. We’re not sure where they go exactly, but you can guarantee that your other half with find them in the most random places; in the hallway, by the porch, in the dryer. You name it, they’re there. Because it’s such a weird problem that we have, some people have taken to Reddit to show their neat hacks for keeping bobby pins safe – just like in the photo above! While physically taping your pins to the wall is an extreme option, it definitely stops them from getting lost…

2. Your clothes don't have pockets (and if they do, they're tiny)

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When did tiny (or sometimes non-existent) pockets on women’s clothes become a thing? Sometimes we even find something worse; stuck on bits PRETENDING to be pockets, which causes rage like nothing else. While it seems that men’s clothes still get big roomy pockets (especially in jeans) it’s rare that we find any items in the women’s section that offers the same thing. So where are we supposed to put our stuff? In the teeny handbags that are all the rage these days? Pockets should be for everyone – not just men!

3. Shaving those awkward places

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We know that men will have their own share of awkward places to shave, but we personally think that women have got it worse. Considering we’re supposed to be hairless queens these days, it takes a LOT of effort to shave those awkward areas; your armpits, your bikini line, and your knees. One little slip of the razor and you’ve got chaos. If you manage to shave these areas without a little nick or two, it’s a borderline miracle. Especially those knees, which seem to magically expand every time we get into the shower.

4. Applying eyeliner (without making your eyes look wonky)

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How many times have you been running late because your eyeliner wasn’t even? Getting those perfect winged eyes is a fine art. Even the most experienced makeup pros can struggle to get it right the first time; the right eye might look perfect, but the left eye ends up a mess. So you try again and again until it looks vaguely ok, but now the first eye doesn’t quite match. So you try and make that better, only to take the whole lot off and start again. Repeat this cycle as many times as you like until you have a meltdown.

5. Your wardrobe is full but you can't find anything to wear

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Yep, your wardrobe is packed with clothes, but you still can’t find anything to wear for this night out you’ve planned for months. You didn’t want to buy anything new this time, as you were convinced you had the perfect cute outfit tucked away somewhere. But after digging through everything you’ve bought in the last few years, there’s nothing that quite hits the smart-casual vibe you want. Queue lots of stress and some possible tears. But the age-old trick still works; you’ll always end up going for the outfit you tried on first, so stick with that and save yourself some time.

6. PMS

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No matter how many times we’ve been through it, PMS just keeps kicking out butts. We can get super irritated and angry, experience erratic mood swings, and feel low or down about our lives. It’s not just our mood that’s affected; you’ll have probably been through the dreaded stomach bloat more times than you’d like, and experienced changes in your skin too (spots and blemishes are an all-too-common occurrence). Oh, you might even start craving specific foods like junk food and snacks. Men really don’t know how lucky they are!

7. If you confidently express your opinions, you're 'too much'

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While we’re making a lot of progress, women’s equality still has a loooong way to go. Men can stare and talk down to us, try to control us, and police our thoughts and opinions. This means we can often get called the famous B-word for expressing how we feel, which just isn’t right. Women who are outspoken can sometimes intimidate men, which results in them being told that they’re ‘too much’- even if they’re simply asserting themselves in the same way a man would. And don’t even get us started on the gender pay gap…

8. Taking your sports bra off post-exercise

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We don’t think we’re being dramatic when we say that taking your sports bra off after you’ve finished exercising is something of a Herculean task. You’re super sweaty and your bra is really tight, and it somehow needs to go over your head before you get in the shower. While some women are much more savvy and have sports bras with zips (which are super helpful in situations like this) most of us will be battling with our sweaty bras when we already have zero energy. The struggle is most definitely real.

9. Waxing

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So you’ve decided to abandon the shaving for waxing instead. And while we can definitely get behind this, it brings a whole lot of new obstacles along the way. The main challenge is the pain factor, which can increase in intensity depending on what you’re having waxed. And if you’re having an intimate area done, you’ve also got to get used to letting a stranger see you without your pants while violently ripping hairs out of you. If you genuinely feel better about having your waxing done, by all means go for it. But don’t feel obliged to remove your hair if you prefer to keep it!

10. Contraception

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How different would the world look if men had to be the ones on contraception? As birth control mainly relies on women, it means that we can end up really messing up our bodies and our brains as we try and find a form of contraception that doesn’t give us tons of side effects. Plus, a lot of them can end up being pretty expensive too. While rubbers are cheaper and be bought by both genders, it’s perfectly understandable that a lot of women want to have an alternative to running to the shop every time they want to have sex.

11. Finding the right clothes

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Why is it now an Olympic sport to find clothes that fit and look nice? When we were younger, clothes shopping used to be a breeze, but now it’s super difficult and stressful. Whether you’re browsing the rails at your local store or checking through multiple tabs online, it seems like all clothes look the same these days; flimsy sweaters, crop tops, and incredibly see-through dresses that will definitely require an extra layer underneath. No wonder we tend to stick to the same styles from the same stores…

12. You have to think about your safety 24/7

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If you ask a man whether he mentally prepares for going out on his own, you’ll probably get a no. It’s a lot different for women though. You run through your safety routine if you’re walking in the dark on your own, and you’ll already know that places like parks and certain streets will be out of bounds. Even just drinking alone at a bar can be difficult, as you might get unwanted attention. And then you need to make sure that you don’t ever leave your drink unattended in case somebody spikes it. Despite smashing through those glass ceilings, women still aren’t safe in the modern world.

13. Finding the right bra

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It’s a bit of a hard task to find a decent-fitting bra- especially if you’re on the small or large size. Some stores don’t actually do A cups, while others hardly do any F or G sizes. While women have more choices online now, it still takes time to suss out which size fits best when you can’t get measured up as easily. And even then, you might just end up with basic ones in black, nude and white. We tend to find that decent-fitting bras cost 60 dollars up these days, which is why we’ve got a few sports bras handy.

14. You experience mansplaining

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Let’s face it – we’ve probably all experienced the dreaded mansplaining at some point. You know the drill – a man will start giving you unsolicited advice, which will mainly cover all the reasons why you’re wrong. It’s patronizing and rude, but according to men, it’s them being ‘helpful’ – and we should be grateful for the fact that they’re taking the time out to talk down to us. If you’ve ever had your degree or Ph.D. explained to you by a man, or listened to a man talk to you about how they know more about women’s rights than you, you’ll know all too well how annoying this is.

15. You're expected to be maternal

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A lot of women are hugely maternal, but some of us just aren’t. And that’s completely ok. While we’re expected to want to hold the office baby and get caught up in games and cuddles, it’s not for all of us – especially when we’ve got a lot of work to get done! And if you’re out at a restaurant and there are kids there, we don’t all automatically find them cute and funny. While some men can find it strange when women aren’t maternal, the biggest source of anger actually seems to come from other women, which really isn’t fair. You should be supporting your fellow gals no matter what – even if they don’t align with your own beliefs.

16. It can take ages to get ready

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How long does your man think it takes you to get ready? However long they think it is, they need to double that time and then probably add an extra hour. The time it takes us to get ready also depends on the event we’re getting ready for, and whether we need to wash our hair or not. Because let’s face it – it’s going to realistically take an hour (at least) to clean, dry and style our hair before anything else! And once you’ve got your hair taken care of, it’s then time to find an outfit and do your makeup. Patience is most definitely a virtue.

17. You're told that you 'nag' men

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Most women will have probably been told that they’re a ‘nag’ at some point. Which we personally think is a male-centric problem more than anything else. If men pulled their weight more often and actually did the things they should already be doing, there wouldn’t be a problem. But no – they throw hissy fits about us ‘attacking’ them and ‘criticizing’- all because we asked them to take the trash out like they said they would. Yes, running a house is demanding, so we need a bit of help along the way!

18. Manspreading

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Hands up – who’s ending up sitting next to a guy on public transport who’s decided to spread their legs as far as possible? It’s an all-too-common occurrence, and we’re not quite sure why some men feel the need to do it. Perhaps it’s some subconscious thing that means that they feel entitled to more space. Maybe it’s a weird display of dominance. Either way, it needs to stop. Women shouldn’t feel that they have to shrink themselves to accommodate other people in this day and age, so be sure to call out the manspreading if you’re experiencing it.

19. You're met with suspicion if you've had a lot of sexual partners

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Society seems to get a bit uncomfortable when women start acting in a similar way to men – especially when it comes to relationships. While men seem to be allowed as many notches on their bedposts as they like, the same rule doesn’t apply to women. If a woman dares to have a few sexual partners, they can get called every horrible name under the sun (by both men AND other women) which really isn’t fair. Despite what some people think, women are allowed agency, autonomy, and can take control of their sensuality.

20. You have to deal with the 'pink tax'

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It might not be an official tax, but we all know the pink tax exists. Women’s products are super expensive, and are often more pricey than the male versions; think razors, shower gel, moisturizer, as well as shampoos and conditioners. Throw in things like contraception, and women are forking out an awful lot of money each month for their basic health and hygiene care. There also seems to be a worrying amount of ‘pink’ versions of products popping up everywhere right now, including these weird pink versions of Dulcolax. We’re not sure any woman wants or needs this…

21. Haircuts are way more expensive than men's

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While we’re on the subject of the pink tax – why are women’s haircuts so much more expensive than men’s? It’s a truth that’s just conventionally accepted, which is totally odd when you think about it. While you could say it’s down to the fact that there’s a lot more styling involved (blow-drying, curling, straightening, coloring) not every woman chooses to have this. Some women have shorter hair and a straightforward cut, yet the rates for women are still the same. Something tells us we’re being ripped off here…

22. Catcalling

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Every woman will have experienced this at some point. And it’s really not ok. We don’t know about you, but we have absolutely no idea why some men choose to do this; not only is it completely disrespectful, but it’s also strange that men think this is, you know, a positive way to get a woman’s attention. Maybe some men like trying to intimate us, and simply do it because they can. Who knows. Either way, it’s derogatory and weird – and we’re really happy to see other men calling out this kind of behavior.

23. We always have to look perfect

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Men might get confused about why we take so long to get ready, but the fact is, there is a LOT of pressure on women to look perfect all the time. In the age of celebrity and social media, this pressure seems a hundred times greater than it used to be, so women are now expected to be camera-ready every single day. And it gets really tiring. The fact is, we’re not these flawless goddesses with perfect bodies, zero wrinkles and immaculate makeup. So society really needs to start giving women a bit of a break.

24. We still get pigeon-holed into traditional female roles

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You might be the best leader in the entire room, but if you’re a woman, the odds of you getting that promotion aren’t usually in your favor. Men still get way more leadership roles than women (even if a woman is more than competent for the job) and we’re expected to fulfil traditional female-led roles like secretaries, cleaners and caregivers. You might have been asked by a man to go out for a coffee run, or take notes during meetings at work because you’ve ‘got nice handwriting’. Don’t accept this; be sure to stand up for yourself and raise this issue with HR.

25. Period problems

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You’ve just put some nice fresh sheets on your bed, only for your period to start. And while you take every precaution against possible leakages, your bed still looks like it was used in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre when you wake up the next morning. So you then need to get your sheets in the wash and start the whole process again! If you happen to have a heavy flow, you’ll be more than familiar with this scenario – and it can get seriously tiring. And it’s always worse when you’re staying in a bed that isn’t your own…

26. Holding your boobs in place when running up and down the stairs

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Nothing beats the feeling of taking your uncomfortable wired bra off after a long day. But this too can come with its own fair share of problems! Gravity can be very unforgiving for us women, and it can really make our braless boobs feel uncomfortable as we go up and down the stairs at home. They bounce, they jiggle, and we can sometimes end up hitting ourselves in the face with them. Cue us awkwardly clutching our boobs as we travel up and down the stairs – much to the amusement of our other halves.

27. You can't show a bit of skin without repercussions

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Sometimes, we’re not sure what’s worse – the withering put-downs from other women or the creepy (and occasionally obscene) comments and flirtations from men. Either way, us girls can end up with a lot of schtick for simply showing off a bit of flesh, which is a bit odd when you think about it. We all have a right to dress how we please, regardless of society’s expectations. So if you’re feeling confident enough to wear that skimpy bikini, then good for you! Conformity is overrated if you ask us…

28. The resting B face

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According to scientists, the classic ‘resting b**** face’ is a real phenomenon. Studies have shown that those who apparently have pulled-back lips or slightly squinting eyes are more likely to be considered to have an RBF, and there are suggestions that those who can’t help wearing their discontented faces might have some unresolved issues lurking in their brains. People with RBFs – mainly women- are said to show traces of sadness, anger or contempt in their expressions, which is something that can show up subconsciously.

29. Smudged nails

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We don’t care what anyone says – painting your own nails is a hard task that requires a LOT of patience. You can either get interrupted during your nail maintenance routine, need to do something while your nails are still wet, or put so much polish on that the whole nail stays stubbornly sticky. Not to mention the wobbly bits that end up going over our nail beds. Even if you’ve invested in one of those nail lamps that you get at your local salon, you still never get the same effect, which can get super annoying after a while.

30. You're expected to be sensitive

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Whether you’re a man or a woman, we all feel emotion, as it’s a natural part of being human. However, society generally deems women to be more emotional and sensitive, which isn’t always true. This creates gender roles that place women in the position of the traditional caregiver; we’re expected to fit the mold as the ever-accommodating woman who puts everyone else before herself. These same gender roles have an effect on men too, as they’re essentially stigmatized for talking about their feelings and showing their emotions.