Reply #46: Here's something I've noticed over the past thirty years [View All]

My entire professional life has been connected with the Japanese language, first as an instructor and then as a translator. About 1/4 of the time I tell a man my occupation (and I try not to bring it up unless someone asks), I'll get a nasty putdown in reply. "Oh, you'll never find anyone to marry but another Japanese translator" or "No wonder an attractive woman like you is still single. You're too intimidating" or "Wouldn't you have rather gotten married?" or "I can't stand intellectual women."

This has happened with men who are no slouches in the intellectual department themselves, including academics and professionals. And they don't know a damned thing about my "emotional quotient" because they've just met me.

Note that this happens only with straight men. Women and gay men find the information either interesting or a matter of indifference. I'd probably be considered a great catch as a lesbian, but unfortunately, I'm not wired that way.

Can you imagine a situation in which a man said, "I'm a Japanese-English translator" and got responses from women such as "Oh, you'll never find anyone to marry but another Japanese translator" or "No wonder an attractive man like you is still single. You'lre too intimidating" or "Wouldn't you have rather gotten married?" or "I can't stand intellectual men"?