# "Having balls" - sexist?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 20, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370 "2012-10-20T23:37:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370/41 "2012-10-22T15:02:37Z")

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Yeah, it’s sexist, but there’s a difference between sexist and offensive.  
I don’t think it’s offensive.

DAMNIT, **SVEN** beat me\*\*.  
\*\*

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**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370/42 "2012-10-22T15:34:50Z")

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FYI: Poll on [Testicle size and courage/bravery](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=548571)

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370/43 "2012-10-22T15:56:17Z")

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I’m an engineer.

Also female.

One of the things all my classmates, male or female, had to do before we got our degrees, was show we had more _güevos_ than one or more of our teachers. I have absolutely no problem with someone wanting a woman with “eggs”… I’ve got a bunch of them in each ovary!

It’s sex-based but not sexist; it was sexist originally but not any more.

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**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370/44 "2012-10-22T17:01:58Z")

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Balls, moxie, pussy, sacks, and all the others … Simple Linctus take a look at the people who you have a drink with. These seem to be the less bright ( Mother might have called them son sarcasticly) stading for something and believing in something is not a bad thing, Thatcher had balls, keep looking for your dream girl, and if she has a pair nab her if you can, but it could be a reach if yours aren’t as big.

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-balls-sexist/638370/45 "2012-10-22T18:22:49Z")

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I think that it is sexist - it implies that a positive trait (i.e. courage) is related to manliness or eminates from one’s testicles, and that by extension women are unable to be as agresssive or courageous because they “lack balls.”

However, it would be a silly thing to get offended by, so I would have voted ‘sexist but not offensive’ if that had been an option.

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