Crazy Woman

A Parking Garage Encounter and a Reflection on Everyday Sexism

Today, I was called a "verrücktes Weibsbild." For those not fluent in the poetic insults of the German language, it translates roughly to "crazy woman," though with a delightful old-school connotation that makes it sound even worse. What led to this particular honor? A parking space. Yes, a simple, rectangular, public parking space.

I was about to finish parking my car in a busy garage when a man—about 60, with the unmistakable air of someone who thinks they know best—jumped in front of my car, waving his arms as if directing an airplane into a gate. He was yelling, almost frothing at the mouth, vehemently insisting that I had parked in his spot. I quickly replayed my parking choice in my head. The spot wasn’t marked reserved. No handicapped sign. No police-exclusive notice. No “For Men Over 60 Who Yell at Strangers” placard. So, what was the problem?

Turns out, the problem was that he had seen it first and was attempting to hold the spot for his daughter, who was still maneuvering her car somewhere else in the garage. This struck me as so utterly absurd that I laughed. Not mockingly—just a spontaneous reaction to the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. And, as you might imagine, that did not help.

If he had been agitated before, this sent him into full-blown, head-exploding rage mode. Suddenly, I was not just a parking-space thief; I was also an insane woman driver, a crazy person, a "verrücktes Weibsbild"—a phrase I’m now considering printing on a T-shirt.

What struck me wasn’t even his audacity (though, wow, what a performance), but the fact that I—the person standing still, saying nothing, blinking in disbelief—was the one being called crazy. Not him, the man screaming about an unreserved public parking spot as if it were his birthright.

And that’s when it hit me: how often do we see this play out in other areas of life? A man being assertive while a woman doing the same is pushy. A man showing passion while a woman doing the same is hysterical. A man being meticulous while a woman is fussy. A man giving constructive criticism while a woman is just bossy.

This isn’t just a minor linguistic quirk. It affects how women are perceived in the workplace, in leadership, in day-to-day interactions. It shapes our self-perception. Because at some point, you start to wonder: Do I need to tone it down? Should I phrase this differently? Will I be seen as difficult? Meanwhile, how often do men worry about this? Only, perhaps, when being called out for something truly egregious (though even then, it’s usually just labeled as "confidence").

So, in the spirit of lighthearted awareness, I’ve compiled a handy little table of how similar behaviors are described differently depending on gender:

When He Does It	When She Does It
Assertive	Pushy
Passionate	Hysterical
Confident	Arrogant
Strategic	Calculating
Giving direct feedback	Rude
Ambitious	Aggressive
Takes charge	Bossy
Meticulous	Fussy
Visionary	Unrealistic
Protective	Overbearing

Of course, times are changing. But not fast enough. The good news? We all play a role in shifting these perceptions. The next time you hear someone (or even yourself) label a woman’s behavior in a way that would be considered normal or even admirable for a man, take a moment. Question it. Challenge it. Because really, shouldn't we all just be allowed to be our authentic selves—without needing to curate our behavior to avoid being called crazy?

And if you ever find yourself standing in a parking garage, watching a middle-aged man have a meltdown over a public parking space, just smile. Maybe even give him a cheerful wave. After all, if he’s going to call you crazy, you might as well own it.