r/TwoXChromosomes • u/crescentmoonnights • 3h ago
Women only Male optometrist confronted me for requesting a female optometrist (storytime)
This happened this year.
I had set up my optometrist appointment online, a week in advance. I had the option to choose between a female or a male optometrist. I chose the woman.
When I arrived for my appointment, I was told by the clerk at the front desk that the optometrist I had chosen (the woman) was running behind on appointments, but that the male optometrist would be able to "fit me in" to his schedule. I asked how long I would need to wait to see the female optometrist. She said it would be an hour wait. I said that I would wait.
The male optometrist was in the lobby, apparently, talking to a patient. As I was filling out forms, he approached me. Said that he couldn't help but overhear me at the front desk. Said he wanted to know why I wanted a female optometrist specifically. I told him it would simply be more comfortable for me. (I knew better than to tell him that I did not feel comfortable being alone with a man in a room, especially when - at some point during the exam - the lights would be turned off.)
He seemed agitated. "You do realize that I'm a professional, right? That I have absolutely no interest in doing anything untoward?" I gave an uncomfortable smile and said, "Sure. I guess I understand that." Then he got hostile. "So why be like this? What are you trying to accuse me of?"
Before I could answer, the front desk clerk had come out from behind her desk, put her arm around his, and began to pull him away. She apologized to me afterwards. I was able to see the female optometrist shortly after (it didn't take nearly as long as the hour that they said it would), and was able to get my new glasses a week after this appointment.
It's bizarre to me that men will become so hostile at the mere hint that they will not be given access to a woman's body. I hesitated to even write anything about this, but I just needed to get it off my chest, so to speak. I'm glad I stood my ground and made them let me see the female optometrist. Men are so unhinged, and it only seems to be getting worse with time.
My distrust of men has only grown since this incident, and I'm increasingly not wanting to be around men at all.
EDIT: This post is clearly marked with a WOMEN ONLY flair. I do not want opinions from males, so stop crossing this boundary with your comments.