GenderedZone

Just a quick story I'd like to impart. Yesterday afternoon, I accompanied my wife to AutoZone, where she was hoping to buy a set of those cheep wheel covers (a/k/a hub caps) for her car. We weren't sure what size wheels she had so we waited in line for help. I was standing behind her, obviously removing myself from the situation. She asked the associate if he could look to see what size wheels she had to which he responded, looking at me, "Did you ask him?" I responded quickly, "I don't know what the hell I'm doing!" The man ushered us out to the parking lot to inspect her tires, where he quickly surmised that they were 15" wheels. My wife asked him how he knew that so he pointed out a series of numbers on the tire, none of which intuitively stated the wheel size; it included information about the wheel width and thickness among other things. After we left the store--without purchasing anything--my wife and I both noted how offensive the associate had been. Just because I have short hair, a penis, and a Y chromosome does not mean that I know anything about cars, and just because my wife has long hair, a vagina, and two X chromosomes does not mean that she should rely on the man accompanying her to the store for assistance. Unfortunately, we still have a gift card to spend there.