# Unexpected labeling of you by others **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2011, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215 "2011-01-03T08:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DivineComedienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c67d28/32.png) [@DivineComedienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DivineComedienne)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/21 "2011-01-04T17:57:09Z")
I had been having my hair cut by the same woman for maybe 20 years. Early one Saturday morning I came in for a haircut and brought with me my breakfast: a Diet Coke and a package of chocolate mini-donuts. My hair stylist was appalled that I was eating chocolate donuts; she said she thought that I was a health nut, fitness fanatic, etc. There’s nothing farther from the truth, I eat junk all the time. Over the years, I’ve had many people tell me they thought I was really into fitness and health, and I have no clue where they would get such an idea. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/22 "2011-01-04T17:57:27Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I like purple. I look good in it, in some shades. Not pastel lavender, for example. But if I see a sweater I like that comes in green, orange, and a shade of purple that I happen to like, I’ll buy the purple. This has turned me into the “purple lady.” Every damn gift I get is purple. People show me things “Look, Sigmagirl, purple! purple!” like they’re holding a treat out to a dog. “Biscuit! Biscuit!” Yes, I can see it’s purple. “I got this for you! It’s purple so I thought of you! I can see you’re wearing your purple today!” > > If I wear a pink sweater I get the third degree. I can’t win. I’m fucked. Ouch. That’s enough to make one Grimace. ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/23 "2011-01-04T18:03:00Z")
I was in nursing school years ago, and had so many people remark “you don’t strike me as a nurse at ALL!”… and when I worked in a daycare they would say “you don’t strike me as the type to work in a daycare” - even had friends that were sure I’d never have kids, they couldn’t see me being a mother. Evidently I come off as a cold-hearted jokester? Sadly, I dropped out of nursing school because I never felt I was good enough to do it, perhaps I let others’ view of me shape who I was. I work an office job I can’t stand now. I do have kids however and they are the most wonderful thing in the world! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/24 "2011-01-04T18:47:02Z")
Everyone thinks I’m gay when they first meet me. I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/25 "2011-01-04T20:34:51Z")
> [@RedBloom](#): > > I was in nursing school years ago, and had so many people remark “you don’t strike me as a nurse at ALL!” I get sort of the opposite - I’m often mistaken for “someone who works here” at stores. People will just start asking me where to find things. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/26 "2011-01-04T20:41:13Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I get sort of the opposite - I’m often mistaken for “someone who works here” at stores. People will just start asking me where to find things. Me too! A friend told me I always look what I know what I am doing, which I thought was a nice interpretation. Better than my own suspicion, which is that I project a working class vibe. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/27 "2011-01-04T20:44:12Z")
Serious and quiet and reserved will often get you labeled as stuck-up. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/28 "2011-01-04T21:05:19Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I get sort of the opposite - I’m often mistaken for “someone who works here” at stores. People will just start asking me where to find things. I get that too, but not as much these days. I think part of it is that I go to stores after work, so I’m wearing a tie. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/29 "2011-01-04T21:10:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Everyone thinks I’m gay when they first meet me. I have no idea why. I think it’s the leather bike shorts. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/30 "2011-01-04T21:11:35Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Me too! A friend told me I always look what I know what I am doing, which I thought was a nice interpretation. Better than my own suspicion, which is that I project a working class vibe. I get this whenever I travel to a new city - within a day of arriving I am approached by someone asking for directions. They tell me I look like I know where I’m going. It happens everywhere! I think I have kinda figured this out - once I do know where I’m going, I head there with a purposeful stride. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/31 "2011-01-04T21:11:47Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I think it’s the leather bike shorts. Wait, I thought all gays wore assless chaps? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/32 "2011-01-04T21:16:06Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Wait, I thought all gays wore assless chaps? Not after Labor Day! Duh! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/33 "2011-01-04T21:35:47Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Wait, I thought all gays wore assless chaps? Mine are at the cleaner’s. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/34 "2011-01-04T21:44:57Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I stood up in Economics class and called out a teacher for his misbehavior You must tell us this story! ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/35 "2011-01-04T21:46:29Z")
“You have an old soul.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/36 "2011-01-04T21:53:35Z")
I am fat, and am very careful about what I eat, and have been careful for most of the past 30 years I have been diabetic. It would annoy the hell out of me to order lunch where I previously worked, and when we ordered from the middle eastern place, I would get a piece of baklavah. More times I would get the whole 'I thought you were on a diet" crap … firstly, it is nobodies business what I eat, or when i eat it, but I can actually enjoy a small dessert if I plan for it :dubious: I am not on a diet, nor have I ever been on a diet. I control my food so I can control my diabetes. I find it annoying to be fat, I would love to be not fat … just so I could actually eat in public without either being considered a fat slobby pig for ordering a single dessert, or to have it considered that I am fat because I sit on my ass popping bonbons all day watching soap operas, and I have the temerity to emerge into public and shove food into my face when I should be at home starving myself. There is really no happy medium when you are fat. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/37 "2011-01-04T21:54:54Z")
**Ogre** : better than “you have an old face”, right? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/38 "2011-01-04T21:57:31Z")
Yes it annoys me too that being fat automatically = stuffs face with junk food. I eat tons of fruits and veggies and eat very healthy. I’m just lazy and don’t like exercise, and I’ve even been exercising a lot for the last two months, but IT TAKES TIME. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/39 "2011-01-04T22:10:45Z")
> [@DivineComedienne](#): > > Over the years, I’ve had many people tell me they thought I was really into fitness and health, and I have no clue where they would get such an idea. My WAG: It’s because you drink diet soda pop and you are not fat. (I’m assuming you’re not fat, since people think you’re a fitness/health nut.) ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215/40 "2011-01-05T00:59:01Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Sounds like the girl has some issues. > > But when I was in grade school, and pretty unpopular, one girl accused me of being stuck up. I guess that shy can come off as stand-offish. Oh yes, this reminds me of when I found out that in high school people thought I thought I was “better than everyone else”. :rolleyes: I was just shy, of course. Although, actually, I guess I do kind of feel superior to people who are too dumb to realize that shy people are more common than people who won’t talk to people because they think too good for it. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-labeling-of-you-by-others/566215.md?page=3)