Like Annubis pointed it out, prejudice is existing everywhere. I also worked in quite a few places surrounded by (mostly) men. It seems that a lot of men are friendly and open minded only if a woman is their love interest or their boss (or the wife of the boss)... But sometimes not even then. Prejudice has something to do with social ranking and people who feel inferior and afraid. I was never insulted by any guy who would feel at ease, being smart, having at least some sense of humor and no problems with his "position". But I was actually asked identically similar dumb questions like the mentioned in this thread by men, who felt very uneasy facing my educational level, my amount of knowledge or experience or anything they would consider "superior". And for a woman, being constantly talked to on any occasion, no matter if you read a book, or are not interested, or just want to sit somewhere in peace is such a "normal" everyday thing!

So, some men get crazy and mad, because they are suddenly experiencing things a woman is experiencing on a daily basis, even in her own home country. Maybe this was meant by Karma as a small lesson?

I am not supposed to ever get mad or crazy about the exact same thing some of the guys are getting crazy about in this forum. If I would start complaining like this all the time, I would be considered "hysterical" or a "crazy and frustrated feminist". But all of you think it is plain rightful to complain about this as a man in Japan. Hm...

How many men think that a woman cannot drive a car or understand math? With all those female stunt drivers in the movies and all those Nobel price winning female scientists?

I may add, i am also a foreigner, originating from another country, this only doubled and tripled the amount of ridiculous questions and silly prejudice. But after long years I have found, that I am no better at all judging people I myself consider "alien" or "strange". It was kind of a frightening experience, seeing myself really attached to completely insane or dumb sets of ideas. But, interestingly, it only happened towards people I considered inferior, mostly at times I felt very uneasy about myself and very unhappy about my life in generally.

So lets face it: the Japanese people show a worldwide common behavior of people, who feel great insecurity about their "position", while at the same time feeling the need of having a certain rank. They are most likely unhappy and feeling inferior. But this does not make the insults or anything else easier. Even if I admit it is absolutely rightful to say "better as to be spit on", it does not make the insult better. You just feel hurt and humiliated, one single insult can be like a slap in the face and show there will never by any "making friends" with a certain person or a group. It's a lonesome feeling for any human being.