what is with men being mad any time a woman raises her voice where did that even come from. someone posted a video of a small electrical explosion, and the top comment was of course the woman screams. the second comment is women try not to scream challenge, level impossible. i had to go back and watch the video again. there is, somewhat fainty, a little gasp emitted off-camera, more of a yelp than a scream. it is mostly lost in the crack of the explosion. afterwards, you hear her voice, shaken, say, are you okay?
i am helping one of my friends train her voice pitch lower, because she wants to be taken seriously at work. she and i do each other's nails and talk about gender roles; and how - due to our appearance - neither of us have ever been able to be "hysterical" in public. we both appear young and sweet and feminine. she is cisgender, and cannot use her natural voice in her profession because people keep saying she appears to be "vapid". we both try to figure out if our purposeful voice lowering is technically sexist. is it promoting something when you are a victim to it?
a storm almost sends a pole through a car window. in the dashcam, you can hear the woman passenger say her partner's name twice, crying out in alarm. she sounds terrified. in the comments, she is lambasted for her lack of calm. how is that even fucking helping?
in high school, i taught myself to have a lower voice. i had been recorded when i was genuinely (and righteously) upset; and i hated how my voice sounded on the phone speakers when it was played back. i was defending my mom, and my voice cracked with emotion. it meant i was no longer winning the argument: i was just shrieking about it.
girls meet each other after a long summer and let out a little joyful scream. this usually stops around 12-14, because people will not tolerate this display of affection (as it has the effect of being passingly annoying). something about the fact that little girls can't ever even be annoying. we are trained to examine each part of our lives (even joy) for anything that could make us upsetting and disgusting. they act like teenage girls are breaking into houses and shrieking you awake at 3 in the morning. speaking as a public school educator: trust me, it's not that bad, you can just roll your eyes and move on. it does not compare to the ways boys end up being annoying: slurs in graffiti, purposefully mocking your body, following you after you said no. you know, just boy things.
there's another video of a man who is not allowed to yell in the house, so he snaps his fingers when he's excited about soccer. the comments are full of angry men, talking about how their brother is unfairly caged. let him express himself and this is terrible to do to someone. eventually the couple has to address it in a second video: they are married with a newborn baby. he was trying not to wake the infant up. there is no comment on the fact women are not allowed to yell indoors. or the fact that it could have been really alarming or triggering for his wife. sometimes i wonder if straight men even like women, if they even enjoy being in relationships with them.
for the longest time, i hated roller coasters because it always felt inappropriate and uncomfortable for me to scream. one of my friends called me on it, said it was unusual i'm so unwilling. i had to go to my therapist about it. i don't like to scream because i was not raised in a safe situation, and raising my voice would have brought unsafe attention towards me. even when i am supposed to scream, it feels shameful, guilty. i was not treated kindly, so i lack a basic form of self-protection. this is not a natural response. it is not good that in a situation of high adrenaline - i shut up about it.
something very bad is happening, i think. in between all the beauty standards and the stuff i've already discussed - this one feels new and cruel in a way i can't quite express. yes, it's scary and silencing. but there's something about how direct it is - that so many men agree with the sentiment that women should never yell, even in an emergency - it feels different.
is the word shriek gendered automatically? how about shrill or screech? in self defense class, one of the first things they tell you is to yell, as loud and as shrilly as you can. they say it will feel rude. most women will not do this. you need to practice overcoming the social pressure and just scream.
most women do not cry out, even when it's bad. we do not report it. we walk faster. we do not make a scene. what would be the point of doing anything else? no matter what we do, we don't get taken seriously. it is a joke to them. an instagram caption punchline. we have to present ourselves as silent, beautiful, captivating - "valuable."
a woman is outside watching her kids when someone throws a firecracker at them. she screams and runs towards her children. in the comments, grown men flock together in the thousands: god. women are so annoying.
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Young!Price x f!younger!reader
where u and ExHusband!Price first meet 🤭
TW (?) age gap. legal (21&30-something), but still an age gap
got a lil lazy at the end; just a dash of secks
“Jus’ one more.” You giggle to your friends, making your way through the crowd and over to the bar.
Another one more.
The bartender shakes his head when you approach.
For the fourth time.
“What’ll it be this time, kid?”
“Dunno,” You shrug animatedly. You giggle again, your cheeks warm from the alcohol. “How about…”
You turn to one of the men sitting at the bar.
“What’re you drinking?” You point a manicured finger at a tall, balaclava-wearing man with dark eyes.
He glances towards you for just a moment before looking straight ahead again, mumbling a “whiskey” under his breath.
“Eww.” You scrunch your nose. “No, not that.”
You lean over a bit, hands on the bar, looking past the scary masked man and to the man next to him.
The… gorgeous, blue eyed, clean shaven man next to him.
“What’re- whoa.” Your eyes widen for a moment. “You’re, like… whoa.”
The man exhales a small, slightly amused chortle.
“Would you, like, ‘scuse us?” You ask the scarier man.
He stares you down for a moment.
You blink, waiting for him to move.
“F’r fuck’s sake…” The big guy grumbles, standing up from the barstool and disappearing somewhere in the bar.
You happily hop onto the stool once he’s gone.
You extend your arm to the gorgeous man, your tipsiness making you more fearless than usual.
“Hi. It’s m’birthday.”
“Is it, now?” His smooth, English voice drawls out as he shakes your hand.
“Mhm!” You nod, your grin growing.
The man nods, seemingly amused with your young, drunk self.
“Are you, like, an army guy or something?” You ask, glancing up and down at him in his fatigues.
He snorts.
“I am an army guy or something.” He confirms. “John Price.”
“John Price…” You tilt your head to the side, your long hair falling over your exposed shoulder in that tiny going out top you decided to wear.
“Price is cute. Y/N Price sounds good, right?” You ask aloud, not really to anyone in particular.
“Already planning on taking my last name, are you?” He raises his eyebrows at you, entertained by all of this.
Women come up to him all the time. Can’t really go anywhere without a few flirting with him, batting their eyelashes, playing coy about how badly they want to fuck a man in uniform.
But they’re never this bold.
Usually not this young, either.
You’re a good ten years younger than him, at least; the hell do you want with him?
“Y’know,” You continue, ignoring his question. “You have the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”
He smirks.
“Y/N!” Your girl friend calls out, waving you over to her from across the room. “Let’s go dance!”
“Oh!” You grab John’s bicep. “I love dancing. Come dance with us!”
John shakes his head, dismissing the idea.
“Don’t dance.” He takes a swig of his beer. “But, eh… Kyle here-“ He pats the shoulder of another, younger, man on the right side of him. “-Kyle likes to dance. Don’t ya, Gaz?”
“I don’ wanna dance with him.” You shake your head with a frown.
“He’s a handsome young lad.” John continues talking up his buddy as if he’s a car salesman trying to sell you the Buick. “Why don’t you-“
You cut him off, rolling your eyes as if that was the dumbest suggestion you’ve ever heard.
“What’f I dance with Kyle and he r’lly likes me?” You slur a bit.
Kyle grins.
John snorts.
“Then he likes ya.”
“No!” You groan.
Drunken you really resembles a fussy toddler.
“I don’ want Kyle’s babies, I want your babies.”
John laughs.
Kyle chokes on his drink.
“You wanna have my babies, eh?”
“Uh-huh.” You nod confidently. “I wan’ a hundred blue-eyed babies tha’ look Just. Like. You.” You poke his chest in sync with the last three words.
John raises his eyebrow at that, taking another sip of his beer.
Your friends pull you to the dance floor by your arm.
You stumble off with them, looking back at John Price and what’s-his-name.
The men don't even glance back at you once you're gone.
They just laugh it off and continue chatting.
But you? You're not giving up that easily.
You let yourself be distracted for a while; dancing, shots, bathroom selfies, whatever.
But when you see John standing up from the bar, slapping some cash down for the bartender and heading towards the exit; you follow.
"John!" You grin, arms outstretched for a hug once you meet him in the parking lot.
"Christ, you're persistent, aren't ya?" John rubs his hand over his jaw.
Your arms hook around his neck, stumbling into him. He places his hands on your waist, steadying you so you don't completely fall.
“Can’t help it,” you sigh. “I go after what I want.”
You tilt your head back to see those crystal blues that made you talk to him in the first place.
John takes a step back, gently disentangling himself from your embrace. His expression is a mix of amusement and something else…
Perhaps a hint of concern.
That’s fair; you’ve just drunkenly followed a strange man outside at night.
"You're a bit too young for me, sweetheart," he says softly. "I think you should go back inside and enjoy the rest of your birthday with your friends."
"But I like you," you protest, your arms crossing over your chest.
He sighs, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I appreciate the sentiment, love, but it's best if you forget about me. I'm not the right guy for ya."
Your lower lip juts out. A proper pout.
“Ah, c’mon. Don’t give me that.” John chortles, crossing his own arms over his chest now. “Look, this isn’t what you want. Tomorrow mornin’… you’re gonna wake up without a single thought of me in your pretty li’l head.”
“You think I’m pretty?” You ask, missing the point completely.
John looks as if he could laugh, but he doesn’t.
“I do.” John nods curtly. “I think you’re fuckin’ beautiful… but you’ve had too much to drink, haven’t you? Why don’t you let me get you an Uber, at least. Make sure ya get some safe ‘n sound.”
You reluctantly accept his offer, standing by his side as the two of you wait for your rides.
Ride.
Because you might as well share one, right?
And once you get to your place, he might as well walk you up.
You’d just be plain rude if you didn’t invite him in; he’d be a jerk if he didn’t accept the invitation.
Sure, he’ll help you remove your heels, but then he really should get going.
But then your hand touches his face when his head is near your knees.
He looks up. You rub your thumb over his jaw.
“Look-“
“‘m jus’ looking at you.”
He really, really should get going.
“Stay with me.” You beg.
“I can’t stay with you, love. I’ve gotta go now.”
He pulls the covers over you, brushes the hair away from your face, he has you text your friends to let them know you’re okay, and he’s gone…
…until the next morning, when he knocks on your door bright and early because, wouldn’t you know it, he accidentally took your phone home and he’s here to return it.
(He totally didn’t pocket it so he’d have an excuse to see you again.)
Since you’re both awake and have no plans, you might as well go to breakfast, right?
“I’m not going anywhere.” You groan, rubbing your puffy eyes.
“Go on. Get showered.” He sits on your sofa, hands folded behind his head. “I’ll wait.”
You didn’t even make it to breakfast.
Ended up having him pull over behind some trees along the way, straddling him in the driver’s seat, bouncing on his thick cock while he murmured praises about how well you’re taking him.
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