T and I have been arguing since we met at a conference years ago.
During one fight, he said in annoyance "You argue like my ex-wife! She never lets me win!"
He was still trying to win an argument with his ex-wife. Since she was no longer around, he used me as a surrogate.
This was neither the first nor the last time that I saw a man use a woman from his professional life as a surrogate for his ex-wife, ex-girlfriend, wife, mother, or daughter. And it's led me to wonder to what extent people (of all genders) view their female colleagues as part of their personal lives, not their professional lives.
At a later conference, I realized that T and I were getting along quite well. Had I improved my interpersonal skills? That would have been nice. No, that wasn't it. He and his ex-wife had gotten back together, and they were happy. Fighting with me no longer filled his need to try to win an argument with someone who wasn't there.