# Feeling threatened by the opposite sex **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 28, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974 "2015-10-28T15:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/1 "2015-10-28T15:00:36Z")
Interesting experience I just had There are a number of topics that have been posted where there is a discussion where a female sometimes feels physically intimidated by the opposite sex I had an experience that if taken the wrong way what could be considered the reverse occurrence To start this up, I am male, 6 - 1 and about 250 lbs. A little out of shape but usually unless there was a weapon involved, I would have little to fear from a woman. I was having an overnight sleep study done and in the process of getting this done, you get wired up with all kinds of monitors and sensors. The lady wiring me had grew up on a farm and she was maybe 5’8 or 5 -9 and her build was somewhat stocky. She wasn’t fat, nor was she thin. She was probably best considered as a lady with a little extra padding from what I could tell. I would estimate that she would be in her mid 40s as well. As she was hooking up the sensors, I could feel that she had some natural strength in her arms as she would move my arm, leg or shoulder to get the sensor mounted where it was required. I then observed that she had fairly thick thighs and legs. At one point in the night, I needed to go to the washroom for a break and she had to come in to detach the harness so I could move out of the bed without breaking any wires or sensors. As she was detaching the harness, I could feel it again that she was of a fairly solid build and as she moved my arms and body, there was little strain on her part. Then, once I got back in the bed and was ready to go back to sleep, I came to the conclusion that if she really wanted to, she could overpower me and do anything she wanted to me even if I tried to resist her. Interesting experience and it helped me understand how some ladies can feel threatened at times ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/2 "2015-10-28T15:06:39Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > I came to the conclusion that if she really wanted to, she could overpower me and do anything she wanted to me even if I tried to resist her. Do fantasies play a part of theses sleep studies? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/3 "2015-10-28T15:39:29Z")
Hi, and welcome to the… hey, what the hell is going on here lately? ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/4 "2015-10-28T15:41:15Z")
Now just try to imagine what it’s like for Hayden Panettiere (listed at 5’ 0.25" on IMDb) to be in bed with world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/5 "2015-10-28T15:46:16Z")
OP sounds likes a perve. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/6 "2015-10-28T15:53:29Z")
I wonder how often they really need to wash the sheets after a sleep study. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/7 "2015-10-28T17:05:23Z")
I had the realization myself once. I’m about the same size as the OP, not easily intimidated, certainly never in physical fear of any woman I’d ever met, until I met a farm girl too. The term big-boned was made for her, I noticed the bones at her elbow were bigger than mine. She may have been an inch shorter than me but I think she could have picked me up and folded me in half. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/8 "2015-10-28T17:44:35Z")
Thanks for the responses. The thought most likely came up because I was sleep deprived but it was a different and unusual experience for me. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/9 "2015-10-28T18:03:18Z")
This brings up an interesting (to me, anyway) topic that has been discussed among my friends. The theory is this - most men evaluate every other males through the filter of “could I kick their ass?/could they kick my ass?” For most men considering women as the “weaker sex”, naturally by default they fall in to the category of “I could kick their ass.” (BIG CAVEAT - no one is suggesting violence upon another in this, no men beating on men, or men beating on women! Instead it all happens within the context of “if they were coming at me and I absolutely had to mix it up with them.”) So, what **ssgenius** is saying in the OP fits right in with this. As a follow-on, the theory is that many women evaluate other females through the filter of “am I better looking than them?/are they better looking than me?” ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/10 "2015-10-28T18:16:04Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > This brings up an interesting (to me, anyway) topic that has been discussed among my friends. > > The theory is this - most men evaluate every other males through the filter of “could I kick their ass?/could they kick my ass?” For most men considering women as the “weaker sex”, naturally by default they fall in to the category of “I could kick their ass.” (BIG CAVEAT - no one is suggesting violence upon another in this, no men beating on men, or men beating on women! Instead it all happens within the context of “if they were coming at me and I absolutely had to mix it up with them.”) > > So, what **ssgenius** is saying in the OP fits right in with this. > > As a follow-on, the theory is that many women evaluate other females through the filter of “am I better looking than them?/are they better looking than me?” That is exactly what I was getting at. Just that it was explained better by Icarus ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/11 "2015-10-28T19:03:10Z")
Oh my god I had never seen Hayden Panettiere before, she is gorgeous. Hmmm the OP seems weird to me. I mean I’m not particularly tall, only 5’9’’ but I am very muscular and solid and weigh well over 200lbs. I’ve seen tons of women that are taller than me and some of them not only taller but very, very stocky with a large frame. Maybe its socialization but I’ve never felt physically intimidated by a woman, I’ve never met a woman yet I thought could physically overpower me, I’ve subdued men that were way larger than me, not that I’m superman there are tons of guys who could kick my ass, I’ve never felt that way about any woman though. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/12 "2015-10-28T19:48:00Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > That is exactly what I was getting at. Just that it was explained better by Icarus I think this also plays a role where, at some point in life approaching older age, teenage boys start to become scary and threatening when you are no longer of robust adult strength and becoming physically frail. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/13 "2015-10-28T20:19:29Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > I think this also plays a role where, at some point in life approaching older age, teenage boys start to become scary and threatening when you are no longer of robust adult strength and becoming physically frail. And that might be why old people often seem to hate teenagers? Interesting idea. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/14 "2015-10-28T20:26:17Z")
Refreshing post. I’ve noticed a lot of threads on this board where the guys insist that no woman could ever overpower a man, in any circumstance, never ever ever. I sit here a 5’8" woman with a huge frame and huge muscles to carry it around and think of some of the guys I know and just wonder what universe everyone is living in. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/15 "2015-10-28T23:48:17Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > As a follow-on, the theory is that many women evaluate other females through the filter of “am I better looking than them?/are they better looking than me?” :smack: No. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/16 "2015-10-29T00:15:59Z")
> [@Inna\_Minnit](#): > > :smack: No. I believe there are a fair number of women who really do think that way, yea even in 2015. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/17 "2015-10-29T00:54:01Z")
“Is she as pretty as me?” Google that phrase and then tell me that women don’t evaluate each other based on attractiveness. ‘A man, upon entering a room, will first check out the women. A woman, upon entering a room, will first check out the women’. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-threatened-by-the-opposite-sex/735974/18 "2015-10-29T01:14:46Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > “Is she as pretty as me?” > > Google that phrase and then tell me that women don’t evaluate each other based on attractiveness. > > 'A man, upon entering a room, will first check out the women. > **A woman, upon entering a room, will first check out the women’.** Not this woman. I’d much rather look at men.