Years ago I was talking with a man in a non-romantic setting. We’d talked many times before. I mentioned a book I was reading that had the term “bitch” in the title. His whole demeanor changed. “Are you one of those feminazis?”

“Why yes, I am, I’m just waiting for weeks for the right time to remove your peen from you because, well, you’re a random man, and my only purpose in life is to hate you and destroy you. Because, like everything, it’s all about you and men.”

I didn’t say that. No need to waste my breath. But now that I’ve been dating, it’s remarkable to me how all can be going well, and one idea woman expresses gets jumped on by a guy who immediately reduces a woman to a caricature and a stereotype.

What’s more frustrating is that they think they’ve been slick about it (like my dog thought I’d totally believe he wasn’t interested in my human meal at alllllll as he pretends to be looking elsewhere) and because they say it’s a legit question, it somehow is. “Oh, so you’re a Jesus freak.” “Oh, you’re one of those crazy cat ladies.” “Oh, you sound like a democrat.”

Simply venting.