"Maybe You Just Imagined It"

Recently I was talking with a friend about some thing that had happened when I was much younger, some things which were very difficult for me to go through. I was hurting and extremely upset, which was why when he responded  with "maybe you just imagined it" I was outraged. Well, yes, I mean, now that you mention it, I did just imagine it! Thank you, Sir for helping me realise that. It seems ludicrous to me that anyone would respond that way and yet isn't that a response that women get a lot? I think we do. My frustration began a few years ago with 'the beer incident' which I know I have written about before. I was talking with a co-worker about different types of beer. I mentioned that I preferred, we'll call it, brand x, to which he replied: "actually brand y is better'. I said, with some irritation, that I actually preferred brand x. It's just beer, I know that but what annoyed me was that he seemed to feel like he was doing me a favour by telling me about this better beer, rather than assuming I knew what I was talking about. After all, it was my opinion, which I should know.

In more recent times ( a few months ago) a friend of mine, a political science student, made a post on facebook which I disagreed with. It had to do with Aboriginal Canadians and since my brother and sister are Aboriginal I feel quite strongly about this topic. Specifically because I've seen how the good intentions of the people who've tried to help them, even when they didn't need it, have gone wrong. I left a comment stating my opinion on the post and was immediately lambasted by the poster and a friend of his who helpfully offered to show me how "Aboriginal people really live".  A few months later he made a similar post, which I also commented on. I like a debate and was hoping to get a reasonable one from someone who studies politics and as such, must be able to debate. I was shocked when the answer I got was a sarcastic "well, Steph, we can't all be as cool as you, you're so well traveled". Feeling bad I apologized but immediately after hitting send I started regretting it. I am well traveled and I have done it all on the back of my own hard work. Am I not allowed to talk about my life because it offends people? Why would they be offended by my travels anyway? Should I stay home and get married and have some babies? What's more, would he have answered differently if it had been a guy posting? I know I've seemed more and more like an embittered feminist but the truth is it's these kinds of things that push me in that direction. I've made my own choices and I have my own opinion but I feel increasingly like I can't talk about my life if there's a guy resent. I mean, either they are going to think that I have just invented my experiences or just be comletely dismissive of them. Are those really the options?