Andrew Tate, a serial entrepreneur, Internet personality, and former professional kickboxer, says that women should not be allowed to drive—and asserted this opinion on more than one occasion.
These are not the first misogynistic comments Tate has made. He has a history of making degrading remarks about women. Tate claims that men are superior [1] and even says, “I’ll openly say I’m a little bit sexist because I’m realistic. Men are just better than women.”
However, we are sure you’ve heard other people say that women are bad drivers. Tate did not make this claim up. So, where did this sexist idea come from?
Why people say women are bad drivers
The claim that women are bad drivers is not new. It is a stereotype that has been around for a long time, and there is science behind the claim. For years, research showed that men have better spatial abilities than women.
But more recent studies presented different results. A 2020 research study from The University of Limerick stated that men and women have equal cognitive spatial abilities, but they have different approaches to mental rotational tasks.
Even if men’s spatial skills are superior, what exactly is a “bad driver” anyway? There doesn’t seem to be a universal definition. Everyone has their own opinion on what the qualities of a bad driver are.
(If you’re curious about how your skills measure up, here are 20 signs you’re a terrible driver. You’re welcome.)
Whether women are actually bad drivers or not, no one can convince Andrew Tate that ladies should be allowed on the road. Let’s take a closer look at his opinions.
Why Andrew Tate believes women shouldn’t drive
Let’s hear Tate out. Here are a few clips of him sharing his thoughts on women behind the wheel:
Tate recounts when he saw a woman U-turn and crash directly into another car at an intersection. Needless to say, our friend Cobratate was not impressed.
“I was sitting in a normal car and I watched a woman crash. She pulled out of a junction, turned, and somehow—I can’t even explain to you how ridiculous this was—she came up, she pulled out of a junction, and turned to turn right. Instead of just turning right, she did some kind of u-turn back into traffic and crashed,” Tate said.
“And I sat there and I thought ‘How are women allowed to drive?’ How? A man is good enough at driving to know he’s not a good driver, but women are such bad drivers they genuinely think they’re okay drivers.”
Then, he says, “I’ve never met a woman who can actually drive competently.”
We think this may be an exaggeration, but we’re not sure.
Tate’s reasoning for women not being able to drive isn’t just because of the U-turn incident. He also says it’s because women are “emotional.”
@thetatemanual Play Think Fast With A Girl And You’ll See How They Panic😂 #thinkfast#superior#turnleft#andrewtate#fypage ♬ original sound – Andrew Tate
“I’ve seen women forget left and right under pressure,” Tate says. “Their emotions stop their brain from thinking.”
This is an interesting claim because, as we all know, men are not infallible. They make mistakes, too. But according to Tate, it’s different for women.
He continues, “It’s not even about [being] intellectually superior. Men are emotionally superior to females.”
So, what does emotional superiority entail? We’re not sure, but Tate believes that men are better at making decisions under pressure because they aren’t as emotional as women.
@youtube._..clipz why #andrewtate thinks girls shouldn’t drive #fellaspodcast ♬ original sound – youtube._..clipz
In this clip, Tate says it is “haram” for women to drive. (FYI—the word “haram” means “forbidden” in Arabic. Tate has been using this word often, and it’s probably because he thinks so highly of Islam.[5] )
“I believe that females panic quicker than men. I believe that’s evolutionary,” Tate asserts. “When it comes to high-stress environments, the fact that [a] woman is capable and intelligent doesn’t actually apply because she will panic under pressure.”
Although there is conflicting research on the topic, some studies have shown that women cope better in high-pressure situations than men because men are biologically programmed to enter “fight or flight” mode when stressed. On the other hand, women go into “tend and befriend” mode, which allows them to better deal with stressors.
Women may not view every stressful situation as life or death, but they are more likely to experience anxiety in high-pressure scenarios. That could be what Tate is referring to when he says women will “panic under pressure.”
But Tate’s comments are irrelevant because everyone responds differently to pressure. Just because someone experiences anxiety doesn’t mean they are incapable of driving.
Does Tate’s claim about women’s driving skills have any factual basis?
Although certain cultures did not allow women to drive for many years, this is not a justification for Tate’s position. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the government started allowing women to drive in 2018. It was the last country that had laws prohibiting women from operating motor vehicles.
Tate’s reasoning for his position is that women are a danger to society when they drive. He says that they cause more accidents because they do not perform as well under pressure when compared to men.
Tate also argues that women should not be allowed to drive because they are more likely to get emotionally involved in an altercation on the road. He believes this could lead to them losing control of their vehicle and causing an accident.
However, research does not support Tate’s claim. In a recent study, British researchers discovered that male drivers had twice the rate of deadly accidents per mile driven. Additional research showed that men are more likely to take risks while driving, such as speeding or operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
So, if women do not cause more accidents and men are more likely to take risks while driving, then Tate’s reasoning for his position is invalid.
There you have it. These are Andrew Tate’s thoughts on women and driving. We’re not sure if he’s being serious or just trying to get a reaction out of people, but either way, it’s pretty clear he doesn’t think women should be behind the wheel.
Do you agree with Andrew Tate’s opinion that women should not drive?
Let us know in the comments!
