Since Cam Newton’s comment about the hilarity of a woman asking a question about routes, the idea that sometimes women still aren’t considered serious sports fans has been stuck in the back of my mind. It’s not just football, but many sports that women are considered secondary supporters of — Soccer, Hockey, Basketball, NASCAR and more have female fanbases that are widely unacknowledged. Unfortunately for right now, it seems to be a concept that will hang around for a bit longer.

Here are five things I hear as a girl who loves football.

1. "Do you only like that team because your dad likes them?"

Yes, I happen to have a certain affection for my team because I grew up in a family that likes them, but isn’t that how most people pick a team, at least when they are younger? Very few people pick a team that is different than their family’s, I’d say mostly because it’s nice to have something to bond over, and a tradition that runs in the family.

Also, it’s actually my mom who is the fan, thank you very much.

2. "How are you a real fan if you don’t even have a jersey?"

My lack of a football jersey has nothing to do with any lack of enthusiasm for my team. My lack of a football jersey is mostly due to a lack of funds to spend $100 on one clothing item (but don’t you worry, it’s on my Christmas list).

3. "You should just get one of those cute little cheer outfits to wear instead."

While I know many girls enjoy wearing a cute cheer outfit to support their team, that doesn’t make it a rule. I’m just not that type of girl. I enjoy comfy jeans and a t-shirt much more than I do trying to squeeze into a tight skirt. If I thought I could get away with it without being called crazy (see #5), I would dress head to toe clad in the tackiest items in my team colors. When I love a team, I go all in.

4. "Well, do you know about so-and-so at the so-and-so game in 1976?!"

Actually no. Mostly because I wasn’t born until 1999 and I did not absorb my mom’s football knowledge while in the womb. My guess is that, in reality, you don’t really know about that game either. You know how to mimic your father’s elation and gloating about one of my player’s inability to catch that game winning ball but you actually don’t know much else.

5. "Whoa calm down, it’s just a game."

This idea may not plague every female fan but it’s something I’ve heard over and over again. Yes, I’ll admit, I might get a little too invested in a game. I also may get a little heated over my irrational hatred of Tom Brady, but to me, it seems that I’m the only one ever being told to calm down. I went to school the day after a big playoff game loss, and thought I was having an energetic discussion about the previous night’s game when my verbal sparring match was cut short very suddenly with raised defensive hands and an exclamation, “Whoa calm down!”

I stared very blankly and attempted to say calmly, “I’m sorry, I thought we were just talking here”, to which he replied, “Yeah, but you girls take these things so personally.” If he thought I was angry before, he had another thing coming. Apparently, the difference between men and women having strong feelings about football (or any sport) is that women are crazy, irrational, or probably PMSing (yes someone has said this to me before), but men are just passionate.

Overall, being a loyal football fan is worth the hassle of putting up with such comments, but I am still unsure why gender seems to be so evident in knowledge someone might possess about a sport. Hopefully, it’s something that will change soon, so girls can grow up knowing that there is nothing wrong with being passionate about their favorite teams.