ADVERTISEMENT

When it comes to products that we use in our daily lives, would you ever think that gender played a role in the way we use them? Interestingly enough, it does, and the problem is that we aren’t thinking enough about gender when we design products. From PPE kits to button-down shirts, women all over the world are struggling to use things that have been predominantly designed for men.

Of course, all of this might seem oversimplistic, but there’s a popular phrase used in the product creation world called ‘Shrink it and pink it’ that shows otherwise. It’s commonly used when designing products for women. What it means is that women often receive scaled-down and pink-colored versions of things that were actually designed for men.

It might not seem like a big issue at first. But that’s exactly why someone online asked people to share examples of products designed for women that were clearly created by men. Netizens didn’t hesitate to fill the thread with answers and share their relevant experiences. Your mind might change once you’ve seen this list!

More info: Reddit

#1

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Abortion laws

Sellarse , Alfo Medeiros Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lyoness
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It often seems like the people who push for anti-abortion laws are the same ones who complain about the drain on social systems caused by unwanted children.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Someone PLEASE put more belt loops on my work pants!

Oh, and NORMAL pockets, please and thankyou

TURBOSCUDDY , Meaghan Report

#3

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Most women's shoes are shaped to be long, thin and pointy.

My feet are not long, thin and pointy, **they are** **foot-shaped**, and shoe shopping is a*s.

Nopetynope12 , Alexandra Maria Report

In this list, curated for you by Bored Panda, there are specific examples of things that men designed that are often impractical for women. Since women are left with no choice but to use these inventions, it begs the question, why don’t more women start designing things? That’s because product design is still a man’s world. Approximately only 9.1% of product designers are women. 

With such a small sample to provide input, it’s no wonder that men are providing the dominating input during the design process. At the start of most design courses, students are taught about something called Universal Design. According to the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, “Universal Design (UD) is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it.” So why is it that women are still left out?

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Every single gyno procedure and lack of pain meds given for it

abynew , MART PRODUCTION Report

Add photo comments
POST
Leigh James
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try a breast punch biopsy sans pain meds, black and blue and could not use my arm on that side for months coupled with difficulty sleeping from pain. Physician who I saw for second opinion said the procedure is like being in a car accident and hitting the steering wheel. Manual biopsy is not without pain but is better and done by a surgeon who you get to meet not a radiologist who you don't until before the procedure. Wish I would have known and trying to provide said knowledge to others

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Button down shirts that don't account for breasts and if you CAN button it all the way up you have these huge gaps and stretching between the buttons.

tenaciouslyteetering , SHVETS production Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bonesko
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, I don't think some designers make clothes keeping in mind that 'oh yeah, they wear bras'.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Ok, this is niche, but I hate it whenever I go to sit at a bar and there are no hooks under the bar. Double points if the stools don't have a back where I can loop my purse/coat over the seat back, and I am stuck piling my purse and/or coat in my lap. Same for public restrooms - pleaseee put a hook on the door so I'm not precariously balancing my purse on my lap or worse on the floor.

Catwymyn , Castorly Stock Report

Add photo comments
POST
Austin L
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see more and more men starting to carry bags these days and I know I've discovered this annoyance first-hand. Maybe that means it will get fixed now?

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Women are 73% likelier to be injured during a car crash compared to a man. You might be shocked to know that this is also because of poor product design and testing. It’s because male dummies are predominantly used as the “victims” during car crash tests. Yes, female dummies exist, but again, they are just scaled-down versions of the male dummies. They don’t represent the bodily differences that women have, such as broader hips or wider pelvises.

Most car crash innovations aren’t safe for women. Like the design for airbags, which isn’t that safe for smaller women and children. This isn’t to say that these inventions shouldn’t exist. Instead, what it means is that more women should be included when these products are being designed and tested. Let’s take a look at some other instances of things that just weren’t designed for women.

#7

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Car seat belts. Mine slips up all the time, and I have it on the lowest setting. I am 5'4" tall. So uncomfortable.

Quietly_dangerous , Mike Bird Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lucy
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Medicines, seatbelts, airbags…..none of these were made for women. Medical trials didn’t have to include women till the 70s

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Razors. I just buy the regular man-version if I wanna use a razor...

Mirawenya , Karolina Grabowska Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lyoness
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pink pricing. Women's items (especially toiletries) are pretty always more expensive than men's.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men All obgyn vaginal procedures. BARBARIC.

awkwardabteverything , Bagoes Ilhamy Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jani Chayut
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I never use a male OB/GYN. They can't relate, just like I can't relate to catching a w***y in a zipper.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Product design that doesn’t take into account women’s bodies isn’t just odd, it’s also dangerous. In the military, females have a 2.22 times higher risk of pelvic ring fractures than males. This is because of a number of factors ranging from the design of their military boots to even their backpacks.

When women use products that were designed as an afterthought, it can affect their safety. These real-life examples show that it isn’t just a matter of style or preference. Does it really make sense that half of the population is excluded in favor of a one-size-fits-all approach to product design?

#10

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Women's power tools. They are just a pink version of the men's tools, or they are just a less powerful version.

No redesign of the weight, shape, or grip size to make them easier to hold for our body shapes, just a pink tax.

123-91-1 , Mikael Blomkvist Report

Add photo comments
POST
Donkey boi
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Power tools neither have or need gender. If they could be redesigned to make them lighter or more ergonomic, that would benefit everyone.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#11

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men There is a patent for labia glue that dissolves when you pee on it do use while on your period to hold the blood in. A male chiropractor invented and tried to sell it. So that.

Jerkrollatex , Scott Sanker Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bonesko
Community Member
9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do like the idea of not using a pad or tampon. I do not like the idea of gluing my vagina! Also, this is a thing! Wtf?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men When you get a needle biopsy, you have to lie on a cold formica table with a sharp edged hole w yr breast dangling through it. The first time I had to do this, we (me, women docs and nurses) all commented on the terrible design of the thing.

When I has another needle biopsy a few years later, the table had been redesigned. It was now pink. ❤️

yttiksesom2 , National Cancer Institute Report

Another minor instance that can have a huge impact is the design of personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare. The Women in Global Health survey found that only 14% of women wore PPE that was well-fitted. The problem with male-oriented PPE is that poorly fitting masks, goggles, or gowns can expose women to viruses or infections.

ADVERTISEMENT

These items also don’t take into account different body types or face shapes. Although the concept of being “gender blind” might seem like a great idea, it doesn’t benefit women when it comes to designing useful products.

#13

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Wasn’t there some guys on shark tank or something like it that made gloves for women to use to change their menstrual products? They were single use and pink or something?

silverandstuffs , Liliana Drew Report

Add photo comments
POST
Trillian
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes I remember that: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pinky-gloves-tampon-disposal-apology_uk_60780bc6e4b020e576c13a33 We are still laughing.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Toilet cubicles - never enough room for sanitary bins

Elmaccas , Fahmi Garna Report

Add photo comments
POST
MurderMittens
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not enough room to get in and turn around wearing a skirt/dress without it dragging the top of the toilet.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Clothes - hardly any pockets, if they do, it's rare they they a a decent size that actually holds the items in.

Handbags - many are too small and useless for any woman carrying more than 1 card and a little bit of cash.

Seatbelts - they don't fit right because they were designed for breast-less people apparently.

Queen_Anomalocaris , Cats Coming Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hey!
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not sure why someone would complain about small purses. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different shapes, sizes, and colors out there. Don't tell me you can't find a fit.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Lastly, here’s one example that might shock you! Female firefighters have a four times greater rate of injury than male firefighters. Now, you might be wondering how product design fits into this. One of the reasons for this alarming statistic is their ill-fitting protective equipment. Equipment that isn’t designed for their bodies can expose them to toxic chemicals and even liquid, chemical, or heat exposure. 

So this brings us back to the question of the lack of women in product design. There are many challenges that can limit workplace entrance and performance, which add another layer of complexity to why women don’t move ahead in this field. It’s important, therefore, to provide more encouragement for women to become designers and pursue careers that are still considered “male-dominated.”

#16

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Anything that is just a pink or purple variation of the men’s version.

soline , Sarah Chai Report

#17

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men PPE. Unisex fit my a*s😂

Moonpiemo , Los Muertos Crew Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#18

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Maternity leave.

I’m in the US where you’re lucky to have it and even if you do there are often ridiculous stipulations like, leave starting only when you go into labor.

There’s no way a system where the expectation is that 100% of women will be able to work until a baby literally begins to fall out of them was designed by a woman.

automoth , kevin liang Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ace
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This isn't a product design issue, it's a shïte US healthcare system issue.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Most pharmaceuticals, unfortunately.

vermilion-chartreuse , Anna Tarazevich Report

Add photo comments
POST
Cosmikid
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a huge problem that affects almost all of us. Unless you are a mid-sized white male- the dosage is likely off. Not only women, but non-white folk have rarely been included in drug testing; also those of us like red-heads who are genetically a bit different. How to change this- is a vast problem; there is no "authority" in place to require and oversee it. It would be hugely expensive to re-test so Big Pharma is against it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Unisex equipment should not be the default. There should be a push to create products that take into account the needs of both men and women. Without enough women designing products, we will still continue to live in a world that’s been primarily designed for men. What are your thoughts on these examples? Let us know in the comments, and tell us if you have any solution for this issue.

#20

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men I'm pretty sure cars? Last I heard, most or all crash tests are used with a male model, but that might've changed semi-recently

sbmskxdudn , Pixabay Report

Add photo comments
POST
Sonja
Community Member
9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They have a supposedly female model now, but in reality it has the same proportions as the male crash dummy, it's just smaller. So the significant differences in the chest and waist areas are still not considered.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#21

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Whoever designed auto-flushing toilets. The damn thing is throwing sewage water on the back of my thighs before I can get my pants up. Wtaf?!?!

Indigojoyglow , Miriam Alonso Report

#22

Lab coats.

Totally random, but mine makes me look awful. Like a teletubby. Also, the sleeves are too long in the size that fits me. Have to roll them up. The buttons pop open on the chest and hip every day.

My boyfriend, meanwhile, looks like a pinup.

We finally have custom Rx safety glasses! Where are the custom lab coats?!

doggo-spotter Report

#23

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Speculum

-FemboiCarti- , Marco Verch Report

Add photo comments
POST
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thankfully there are now different shapes and sizes and plastic instead of metal but I'm still scarred both mentally and physically.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Underwear, because it nearly never fits. Always rides up. Especially when those high cut 80s things came out there were no proper fitting ones anymore, eventually I found boyleg undies, but they are still different from what they used to make. Plus the double fabric is in the wrong place. Definitely must be designed by men, women wouldn’t do that.

VeganMonkey , Nataliya Melnychuk Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lyoness
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone else noticing that all the posts arguing in this thread have male usernames?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#25

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men So this is pretty niche but I'm a fencer and the chest protectors that women are required to wear are shaped like a Barbie's boobs. I wrote a whole article about it which went absolutely viral in fencing spaces. We're working on a redesign but it's very hard to engineer something that works for all people and doesn't cost three times more.

https://www.wfencing.org/post/the-problem-with-chest-protectors

The tl:dr is that they don't fit right and they don't scale well for larger people AT ALL (but they also don't scale well for small people). They are required because getting poked in the boobs really hard can give you a lump (not cancer, still bad). In the survey we did afterwards we also learned that they contribute to discomfort and dysmorphia among trans and nonbinary folks, and they lead to stupid comments and sometimes bullying among kids and teens.

Edit: I mean fencing as in the sport in the Olympics where we hit each other with blunted swords. Not the fence in your backyard or the person selling stolen goods on the black market.

Also, there are other styles of chest protectors beyond the barbie boobs but none of them really work for people who aren't very flat-chested. These are detailed in the linked post.

EpeeLizM , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

Add photo comments
POST
Cosmikid
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Serious fencer here. Yes, this an ongoing problem. My own guess is we're going to need both some kind of plastron-armor; AND a specially designed padded-reinforced bra under it. The plastron gives good impact protection; but breasts are so totally variable that many will get hurt anyway, without some specific support. Which means - a fencing bra made for the individual. Going to be pricey, no matter what- but should be less of a distraction eventually.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#26

Body armor for soldiers. This was (is?) an issue for military members stationed in the Middle East.

thirdcoasting Report

Add photo comments
POST
David
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That has changed, because most women were not supposed to be in combat so they never thought about it, but then came Iraq and everywhere was the front lines, so they had to redesign. The US took a lot from the IDF for that, as they had women in combat and battle tested womens body armor. But now the US has a full US designed womens body armor.

#27

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Sports shorts
Search for it on google and add men or women and see the difference

saadmerie , Christopher Campbell Report

Add photo comments
POST
Debbie
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just shorts in general. Shorter for women. Try to find shorts for girls that cover their knees. (girls probably don't run and fall, don't climb trees, don't tumble on the grass).

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men The IUD was invented by Richard Richter in 1909 and the design was updated by Ernst Gräfenberg.

SundaeEducational808 , Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ally Joy
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My IUD is so valuable that it's practically a family heirloom. I mean, forget about jewelry or antiques—passing down a top-notch piece of birth control is the ultimate gift, right?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men any female outfit in mmorpg

blackbubble*ss , Diana Galván Report

Add photo comments
POST
PeepPeep the duck
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m a girl and I love the outfits. In the game hyperdimesion neptunia I ended up buying them all the swimsuits and lingerie cos it was pretty ❤️ and themed

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men hiking backpacks with a breast strap

Sternenschweif4a , Kampus Production Report

Add photo comments
POST
Debbie
Community Member
9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, what is wrong with this one? For me it goes above my breasts. If you don't like it, don't use it. I rather have it above my breasts than across my neck ;)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#31

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men “Chick cars” that still don’t have anywhere to put your handbag if you have a passenger.

miss_kimba , Oli Woodman Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hey!
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I bought some great hangers for the back and I use them all the time. They are attached to the head rest (in the bars) so they never fall off.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#32

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men most lingerie

lesla222 , Valeria Boltneva Report

Add photo comments
POST
Donkey boi
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm pretty sure lingerie wasn't designed FOR women. To be worn by, yes. But for, no!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Tampax (and possibly other brands) tampons. It swells in length instead of getting wider when expanding. It's pushing you in spots nobody wants to ever feel pressure imo, it's just not correct anatomically speaking.

Apparently, many got genuinely sick from using them due to this (I haven't seen any official reports tbf, just reading it up on the internet and some anecdotal evidence) and it's causing pain for others, including me. It hurt like hell, and definitely was not comfortable at all at any point. You just cannot not feel it.

When I lived in the UK, I either had to spend a smaller fortune on buying OB tampons from various sites on the internet or ask someone to bring me some when they were visiting a country that had them, as they're not being sold in the UK. I tried several other brands, including Lidl and drugstores' own brands, and while OB was the best in my opinion, most were not as uncomfortable as Tampax was besides a few. I do apologise for not naming more, but Tampax is the most common as far as I've seen and I've tried so many brands I just can't remember their names.

Edit:typo

salary_slave_53749 , Polina Zimmerman Report

Add photo comments
POST
N.
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ladies they're not supposed to be uncomfortable. If they're causing you pain, you need to let your obgyn know.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#34

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men Not as much these days, but kitchens. More men cook now than previously, but kitchens are still used more by women, and mostly designed by men. My husband was a good cook, we shared the kitchen. But things I couldn't reach were no problem for him. We both hated the kitchen in this house, (I still do) but we never got around to changing it.

TBH, I don't know how well the average person, any make or model, would do at designing a kitchen. You'd have to build 'em and use 'em to find the flaws, and figure out how to do it better. Things don't always work in practice, as well as they looked on paper. Or in the computer program.

Effective-Gift6223 , Mark Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hey!
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My husband and I decided our new kitchen, even though I'm the one cooking the most, say 12 meals out of 15. We had a list of stuff we wanted and went to see a designer. It took us 4 hours. We redid the kitchen, dining room, living room. Tiles, cupboards, counters, windows, walls, ceiling, electricity, plumbing, and two railings for the stairs. It took them 70 days. When I started cooking again, I had a problem washing my dishes, then I figured that my counter was higher (up to par) than my older one. My contractor made me a big stool (think 4'x6) and the guy that installed it cut it in two so I could have one in front of my stove and the other in front of my sink.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

30 Women’s Products That Are Impractical Because They Were Designed By Men I had a baby and we used bottles to administer formula. The numbers and oz indicator lines were in white.

WHITE.

TheRedWoman00 , Sarah Chai Report

Add photo comments
POST
Austin L
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is this a product designed for women by men? This is a product designed for infants to be used by the child's caregiver.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#36

Not quite what you were looking for but skincare and cosmetics. It was still a largely male dominated industry up until the 90s. In many countries the key decision makers in “big beauty retail” is still men. Men still hold most of the purse strings in the industry people just don’t know it or are too lazy to recognise it.

bibijoe Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda