I think most people make generalization of sorts, esp regarding gender. For instance, I remembered my mother flippantly said that I will end up in the kitchen anyway so why bother going to uni, or how my friends would use the "girls suck at math" joke when they failed a math test. I think the difference between coming it from a friend and a stranger is that, if you know it is someone you know very well, you will know that they don't mean ill. Whereas if it comes from strangers, it may came across as condescending. They will feel like, "who the hell h/she think h/she is? Doesn't know me and yet they make such assumptions." When it comes to generalization like this, intention matters a lot, esp to women. This is why, if it comes from someone they are familiar with, they know that the intention is well. But if it comes from strangers, they will err on hostility. This is what I notice too on this sub. Those women who take offense on generalization are usually those who are categorized as "AWALT" by other ppders here directly.