BellaOnline Forums Relationships Marriage Talking between Two Couples

My boyfriend and I went out last night with another couple. The woman immediately started talking to me, and the man immediately started talking with my boyfriend. I kept trying to have the conversation include all four of us, but they seemed convinced that the 'girls' should talk and the 'guys' should talk! It felt very bizarre to me, and made conversation more difficult because now you had to hear your own conversation over the one going on right next to you.

How do you talk when you go out? Do you all talk together, or does it split along gender lines?

It seems to me that when me and my SO go out, we do split the conversation. I don't really have a problem with it though as they have different interests and can talk about those together-KWIM?

Well, but why would they assume we had different interests? They assumed that the "boys" would talk about things that the "girls" wouldn't be interested in. But in fact I *was* interested in what they were talking about, and my boyfriend was interested in what the woman and I were talking about.

I just found it very bizarre that they would assume that naturally, the "girls" wouldn't have any interest at all in "man talk" <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The guys started talking, and I was listening with interest, when the woman deliberately started talking over them to get my attention.

For her to talk over you was pretty rude. I wonder if she was intimidate by you talking with the men? Or maybe she doesn't know your husband well and was more comfortable with you? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Very interesting topic...

There is a couple that sets up their art stands next to ours every weekend. They are engaged to be married, and spend a lot of time talking to my husband and me about what to expect (their not sure about children) they also talk to us about our art work. When we talk about families, we tend to just sit in one big group. My husband and I are not used to excluding each other from conversations, so it is just natural for us to all talk together.

Sometimes we split off for seperate conversations. This is because my friend and I are both artists, while her fiance and my husband are both supporting us in what we love <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> . So they talk about things like, how to drive off guys who hit on us, or how to better help us with our art, while we talk about things like, what paints are the best to use. This only happens because they have no idea about art... and while we appreciate what they do, we can't FEEL what they are feeling, so they have a sympathetic person to talk to.

There are some people out there who have a set "idea" of a man and woman's place in life, including relationships... We tend to avoid being around people like that.

There are some people out there who have a set "idea" of a man and woman's place in life, including relationships... We tend to avoid being around people like that.

I agree 100% with that statment. I have a girlfriend who, everytime she comes over, she wants to go for a walk. Never wants to stay at the house with our husbands. It really drives me crazy cuz I enjoy being around them and sometimes those are the most memorable and interesting conversations. I also wanted to add that I do enjoy girl talk, but I don't like the complete seperation, like leaving the house.

Oh right, I do enjoy Girl Talk, where I can talk with a girl friend about relationship sorts of issues, and so on. I go out with my female friends alone for dinner so that we can just talk. I enjoy that time. And during that dinner, my female friend and I went to the bathroom and talked a bit about relationship things that were on our minds.

But to do it during the regular dinner, split off into boy-girl just struck me as strange. It wasn't that one set was talking about a common interest and the other set was talking about a different common interest. It was just the "men talking" and the "women talking". Hmmmmmmm.

I find when we go out for business dinners that as soon as the man finds out I'm a homemaker, his face gets a frantic look on his face. He can't figure out what to talk about. I can see his mind wondering if he should ask me how to remove a stain from his shirt or something. (Too bad I'm not domestic and don't know!) Then he spends the evening talking to my husband about work and the wife talks to me. Even if she works outside the home, she is usually interested in my homeschooling. Sometimes I like to introduce politics, literature or history just to see their surprise that I know about these things <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> So, that's why I wind up in "girl talk" on outings. I don't usually have that problem with friends.

Wow, so they assume that because you don't work outside the home, your brain shuts off or something? As if most of what goes on in a workplace is really something you want to talk about socially <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Lisa, I've figured it out! The fumes from the cleaning supplies waft up and burn out the brains of all housewifes! And then, there is an amazing computer (or something) that comes down and replaces what is left of their brains with all the information they need to know about housekeeping and being a good little wifey (all this said with a really sarcastic tone).

Sorry, I'm cranky right now, just had a person call with an order... wanted to speak with the artist.... said it was me, and he coudln't believe it. Basically he was the most mael chauvenistic butt head I have ever talked to (including a certain person in the forum that most of us have talked to). Basically, since i am home all day long, I can't possibly have the imagination or talent, or skill, to be able to do artwork. I'm just a gurl. sheesh.

Wow, I am SO sorry to hear that!! I can't believe there are still men in the world that think women cannot be artists. Some of the most amazing artists have been female!! I don't see how the two are even related.

Maybe you should make sure your photo and name are on every single page of your website, to remind people that female artists do incredibly good work <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />