Microfeminism is a strategy some women use to gently, yet meaningfully raise up other women in, often, male-dominated spaces. This can be everything from not defaulting to masculine pronouns to battling manspreading, but some folks get even more creative.
So some women turned to the internet to share the ways they practice “microfeminism” so others can try it too. Settle in, get comfortable as you scroll through, maybe take some notes if you see something useful and be sure to add your own thoughts and examples in the comments section down below.
#1
As a teacher I start the day with a picture of a woman on the board, I ask my class to grab their laptops and find out who she is and what she did or does. We’ll have a little history lesson or a lesson about standing up for yourself etc. Women are often written from history, I write them back in. ✌🏼
#2
Not laughing at sexist jokes 😐 I blink like a ferbie and play dumb. It didn’t take much practice because these dudes have like 3 jokes between them all from 1993
#3
Never cleaning the kitchen at the office. It’s nobody’s job, which means it’s not my job.
#4
If you see/meet another woman in passing and you think “wow she’s stunning”, or “she’s so well spoken”, or “I love her style”, simply tell her! Spread love to the women in your space ❤️
#5
I refer to every judge, CEO, lawyer, doctor, detective, and more as “she” by default until and unless I’m corrected.
#6
When they’re talking about how great men are at being providers and protectors I like to point out that it’s “not all men”
#7
Standing my ground on public transit vs the manspreader, leaner, snorer. Yes I will hip-chuck, shoulder nudge, or clap my hands to wake you up.
#8
Putting my hand up like a traffic cop when male opposing counsel interrupts me in court and saying “stop”
#9
When I’m in the grocery check out and a man is encroaching in my space, I just turn to face them and dead eye stare till they back up.
#10
Looming. Sir, I have been short my entire life. You being taller than me doesn’t make you right.
#11
Whenever a male coworker tells me his wife is pregnant I excitedly ask if he’s coming back to work after the baby is born. And then sit in the silence while they work through what just happened
#12
Refusing to default sports to men and requiring a qualifier for women (e.g., basketball and women’s basketball). If the Lakers are playing, I say men’s basketball is on. If I see someone wearing a Red Wings hat, I’ll ask if that’s their favorite men’s hockey team.
#13
In meetings, if someone suggests we take notes/minutes, I offer before the inevitable glance at any female colleagues.
#14
I like to hold doors open for big burley men
#15
I don’t know if this is considered micro, but I LOVE loudly pointing it out to anyone that can hear my booming voice, “I SEE YOU!” when they are sexually assaulting one of us with their eyes or when they’re looking at underage girls. To watch them cower in embarrassment is one of the most powerful feelings. We’re not going to ignore the predators trying to creep all around us anymore. We’re calling that sh*t out!
#16
I stopped fake laughing at “jokes” and let them feel the awkward or I’ll ask in a genuine “I don’t get it- what do you mean” kind of way
#17
I stopped listening to a man at work who whines endlessly. I look at him and walk away. If I’m not your mom, wife, therapist, or friend, I’m not carrying your emotional baggage.
#18
I cross my legs so he’s risking getting his trousers’ leg dirty by the bottom of my shoe if he man spreads. Works very well on the ones with suits/work attire on 🙂
#19
Whenever I attend a gathering I always try to sit in the front and ask questions and speak up. I also would have sat in the back and kept quiet when I was younger.
#20
When I write blog posts for my clients, I sometimes have to pick out stock photos to go with them. When that happens I always choose photos of female professionals. Need a picture of a dentist, here’s a woman who’s a dentist. Whenever possible, I choose photos of women who aren’t white, too.
#21
Today in a conversation in which a man kept interrupting the other woman present, I said, “I’d like to hear what S. is saying.” I used to be voiceless and scared. This came out very naturally.
#22
If a man uses the terms “girls” or “gals” when referring to adult women, rest assured I’ll refer to them as “boys” not men in my response. They may not realize what they are doing at first, but they will when I respond.
Random male: “The girls in the legal department really did a great job with xyz.”
Me: “Yes, the boys did a great job as well.”
#23
I’m trying not to apologise for getting angry, call myself too sensitive, or frame my reactions as overreactions. It’s felt very empowering so far 🙂
#24
Not a daily thing, but..
Was talking to a school friend, I know she has like 2-3 kids and stay at home mom bla bla. We were just reconnecting, and I asked just about her and her only! Not a single question of how’s your family or how are the kids etc. Just, how are you, tell me about you, what are you thinking, what are you doing.. oooof!
It was new for her as well, coz the amount of time she was taking to put thought into these questions was pheww.. and she actually broke down and ranted 🥺
#25
I make sure I correct the salesperson when I’m actually next to be served but they defer to the man who just arrived.
#26
Give least one woman a day a compliment that doesn’t revolve around looks
#27
Mine is consistently using the feminine gender when referring to God in my Christian church. She and Mother God word well. A lot less “Lord”
#28
If I see another women who obviously wants to get away from the dude who has cornered them at a bar, I walk by and cropdust. I also like to call certain types of men “little buddy” online. And my favorite is telling men to smile more.
#29
I’m at that age where I walk straight into the middle of the pack of teenage boys crowding the footpath and expect them to scatter.
#30
Refusing to ever write or say “Mrs” or “Miss” only Ms.
#31
I don’t move for anyone on the sidewalk unless they’re pushing a stroller, walker, or walking a dog or child. I keep to the right, as is correct.
#32
Being 5’11 telling “6′ men” that they indeed cannot be 6′ if they’re shorter than me
#33
Honestly, I’ve just let my entire existence become my resistance.
#34
Claiming all of my legroom on an airplane. If you’re man-spreading into my space, prepare to awkwardly touch my calf the entire flight. Then I double down by taking both armrests if I’m in the middle.
#35
I’m a stand-up comedian. Whenever I see a lineup advertised that’s all men (usually all white men, too), I’ll leave a glowing comment about how wonderfully diverse their lineups are.
#36
I spread my legs and nudge them if they get too close. When I was on a near empty bus I used to move seats if someone tried sitting next to me and bring out my pepper spray if he looked like was going to move again.
#37
Man spreading and using the arm rest while seated in a public place next to a man. Does my highly sensitive adhd ass hate my leg touching a stranger’s leg? 100% Do I refuse to make myself smaller anymore to make others feel more comfortable? 100% I’ll pick my battles.
#38
I was walking with my son all the way nearly up next to a store wall and I noticed a man not moving outta the way coming toward me…it’s the first time i really noticed-HE DIDN’T MOVE! I had to move to dodge him and nearly stepped on my kid. I was stunned & now I can’t usee this bs
#39
I never use “guys.” Team, folks, colleagues, occasionally g**g, but not gals either.
#40
One of mine has always been paying for a meal/event tickets occasionally on a date. I can tell a lot by the way the guy responds.
#41
The Sheriff’s Dept. Posted on Facebook a picture of their new deputies, fresh out of the academy. All men, of course. I posted a question, “Do you ever hire women?” And here came the trolls……
#42
I cuss and never apologize. Since I’m tall and big, I get misgendered as a man, so I say in my highest-pitched voices, “What do you mean, sir?” Always embarrasses dudes. I also wear a US Army veteran cap in the sun.
#43
I’m in a bowling league that’s majority men. It’s well-established courtesy to wait for the bowlers on the lanes next to you to finish their throw before you step up. If I’m up, and they ignore me, so they can go first, I bowl anyway.
#44
Im no longer helping, teaching or instructing men. Can’t find the can opener? Can’t help you. Don’t know how to wash your wool sweater? Too bad. Need help choosing a bday gift for your mom? You’re on your own
#45
I work in an office for a construction company. When I draw up contracts, I put the wife/female partner’s name first before her man’s. 🙂↕️🖤
#46
I used to refer to everyone on an anonymous mom’s site as ‘she’ even if I knew there were men posting. But I stopped because I didn’t want to cause dysphoria for trans folks.
#47
When I meet a male CEO I cheer “Boy Boss!”
#48
My favorite thing to say is, “How hard can it be? Men do it,” every chance I get.
#49
Mine is marking every marital status box incorrectly because if I have to disclose my marriage in my “address”, men should too.
#50
Don’t drag a woman for her looks. If her actions merit concern, discuss it. The whole Kerri Russell’s hair is a mess in The Diplomat made my head spin. She was brilliant. That’s it.
#51
I work in an ER with a heavy rotation of travel nurses – I almost always ask the male MD residents if they are the new travel nurse. So they get to feel what the female residents feel with every new pt.
#52
Walking out of the house with less than perfect hair, clothes, and often little to no makeup. Not that serving amazing looks isn’t feminist, of course – it’s just to remind myself that if I match the effort the average man in my workplace puts into his appearance, it doesn’t make me any less professional.
#53
Whenever I use an image of athletes in my class, I exclusively use women or girl athletes.
#54
I look men directly in the eyes if I catch them looking at me, fix my gaze, and refuse to look away – like everytime they they glance again they see me looking at them – until they physically respond in some way (like completely turning away, talking to someone next to them, looking at their phone etc)
#55
When greeting a man I know, instead of a hug I give a handshake. I distinctly remember one time a guy shook my bf’s hand and then tried going in for a hug with me but I didn’t want to & he was very weirded out
#56
A firm handshake and look them right in the eye.
#57
I call the dad first for emergency contacts for students when they’re sick.
#58
I switched all of our Alexa devices to a man’s voice.
#59
I’m an admin. A secretary, though a fairly high level one. We use initials a lot where I work, at a law firm. The attorneys (all male) all put their initials in upper case, while all the other staff (all female) use lower case. I use upper case. Always. No one’s ever said anything.
#60
I’m pointing out any situations where the patriarchy is so baked in, it’s not visibly noticable. This includes language and idioms that we take for granted.
#61
When I hear men say ‘that takes balls’ I say ‘you mean that takes ovaries’
#62
Sitting at the head of the table. Not apologizing for every little thing (or for getting old).
#63
Excusing myself from – or strategically avoiding – discussions with a mansplaining relative instead of allowing him to pull me into a lecture about a totally inconsequential topic. I’m surprised how many people allow him to control the energy in the room, laugh at all his unfunny jokes, and accept his egocentric and arrogant conversation style.
#64
Have introduced several friends to my “ploy” . When I see men walking directly at me, I turn my back & look upwards. Maybe luck but it’s always worked. Female friend & I did this recently, the group of men walked around us. Our husbands… actually sort of , kind of, were forced into the road.
#65
I no longer move out of the way for men. I don’t smile at them, or make small talk. I don’t owe them that. Actually, I never did. I just didn’t have a mother who taught me that because she is a misogynist herself.
#66
I walk faster than most people so I swerve to pass people while walking on busy footpaths. I do wish we would go back to walking on the same side of the footpath as when you drive on the road. In New Zealand that would be left side. That all seems to have disappeared in the last 20 odd years.
#67
Mine lately has been “why is that the focus?” Any time a man tries to deflect when women are talking.
And the only way to avoid answering the question is going to be them ending the convo cuz there will be follow up if they give a non-answer
#68
Taking both armrests and spreading in the middle seat
#69
Whenever I’m at a red light and the driver next to me is a man who is obviously staring at me- I roll down my window, make eye contact, and initiate a staring contest.
#70
For me it used to be opening doors or giving up my seat. Never again though.
#71
I’ve been calling out men’s mistakes at work and covering up women’s mistakes. Kind of how men have been doing for decades.
#72
I have no idea but this year on Halloween I fake screamed when I saw my coworker, followed by “you dressed as a straight white male. Can’t think of anything scarier.”
#73
When men look like they are agro at each other, going to fight, or ones standing up to another one etc, I say omg yall are the cutest couple, where did yall meet?
#74
Instead of saying “hey guys” I say “hey girls” and watch the guys heads explode. LOL
#75
When I’m driving, I always let women go first. If we meet at the stop sign, they go first, unless they tell me to, then I respect them and listen. I let them cross the street with ease and wave and I watch out for them. I make sure everyone stops for them and if they don’t, I honk them and intervene.
#76
When serving drinks as a cocktail waitress to couples, I always serve the woman’s drink first and then look to the man when I’m requesting payment. 😂🤷🏽♀️
#77
I call tall-ish men “short king”.
#78
Mine is my waitress correcting me that they are a server rather than a waitress.
Too bad. My waitress gets a big tip, but my smarmy server doesn’t.