A Long Convo with a Llyods TSB Advisor

So...
I opened up a Bank Account in England. Because I am tired of the fees that FirstMerit hits me with. I got my card in the mail today so I called to talk to an advisor (what they call them) about activation and such.

So I get this young man...forget his name...maybe it was Craig or maybe Dave. I don't know. Anyways. He notices my accent and he asks where I am from and I say Ohio. He says cool. Blah Blah. He then asks why I am in Britain. I tell him for school. He asks me what I am studying. By the way, I am thinking to myself, "He sure is trying to have a conversation instead of talking about this debit card." But I am like whatever. For some reason people like Ohioan accents round these parts. Haha. Anyways. I am just going to break this down. So imagine us kinda talking over each other. And of course, I cant remember everything that was said. But this was the majority of it:

Advisor: Oh what are you studying?
Me: Well, I am taking a lot of classes. I have a major and two minors. You know what that is?
Advisor: Oh well, yes, the major part.
Me: I will get a major degree in Social Work. B.A.S.W and then two minor degrees. One in English and the other in Women's Studies.
Advisor: Oh...Women's Studies...what exactly is..umm..that about?
Me: Well, you knoowwwww. Gender Inequality, Sexism, Gender Roles, Discrimination, Racism, Oppression, all that good stuff.
Advisor: Ohhh! Well, I was about to say...I thought it would have been a bunch of woman sitting around talking about how much they hate men...
Me: Oh. HA. HA. no no. Not that at all. Theory and research and all that good stuff. And if that was so it would be Men's Studies. Riigghhhtt. Well, its about gender really. Ya know.
Advisor: Oh no, that would be just a bunch of men sitting around watching videos.
Me: Oh. Ha Ha.
Advisor: you dont burn your bras do you? ohh haha I'm just joking with you.
Me: Oh well hey, how do you know I don't burn my bra? Maybe I want to burn my bra. Yaaaa knoooww.
Advisor: Oh haha. Yea. Just joking.
Advisor: Oh yeaaa. Well, How are you liking Britain so far?
Me: Welllllll...the food isnt that great but youu knooww. No No. Just kidding. Everything is great.
Advisor: oohh haha haha. All Americans are mouthy huh?
Me: Well of course! haha
Advisor: Just joking. Just Joking. hahahahaha.

Then we actually got into my debit card business. Our conversation about what I am doing here was longer than the actual business I called about! But he was not about to just make those comments and move along.

Why is it that Women's Studies constantly has to defend itself? Even seriously or jokingly. And really, even when people laugh their way through their comments it doesn't make it any less of an insult. Because no one is like....ohh hahaha. Sociology you say..what is that about..just a bunch of sociologists sitting around and blah blah blah. Probably a bad example but whatever. Its incredibly annoying. Its condescending as well. I have to defend Women's Studies all the time. Its like I have an entire monologue ready for people questioning Women's Studies. When I tell people that I am a Women's Studies minor and that's what I plan on getting my Ph.D in, I commonly get..."oh, is that a bunch a woman sitting around talking about men." Yes, absolutely. Because when women get together, that is all we can talk about. That's our existence. MEN. That is all. No scholarly research. We give out degrees to women who can sit around in an academic setting and profess their hatred for men. Um...and most importantly, MEN can and are in Women's Studies programs. Give me a break. Really.

And the part about Americans being mouthy was just funny. If anything, HE was the mouthy one. 21 questions...sheesh. But I probably should have kept the "bad food" comment to myself...what can I say?! I am just me. It's rare that I don't say what I really want to say.