What did you say?!?!

[Seshat]

It goes the other way too. One of my coworkers at the fabric shop is a man, just as knowledgeable and experienced at sewing as the rest of us, and many of our older female customers ignore him or treat him with contempt, saying, "What does a man know about sewing?" Um, madam, isn't that Calvin Klein and Bill Blass clothing you're wearing?

As I've said before, and will say again, sexism has cost the world more than one wonderful kindergarten teacher.

My brother would have been a wonderful early-childhood teacher. But the risk of his being accused of child abuse - even in Aussieland - is too close to a certainty. Just because he's a he.

I'm certain there are hundreds, thousands of men like my brother who would be wonderful teachers, who have avoided the field simply because of the risk of criminal charge if someone thinks they're looking at a child wrong.

Even female teachers have to be careful how they accept such things as spontaneous child-hugs. Kids in general LIKE hugging people they like!


Bah. I just edited off a rant. I could fratch about this so easily. Sticking to the sexism: I sympathise with the OP. Both my brother and I have struck sexism: I trained as an IT geek. (I'm a girl.)

[Jay 2K Winger]

Someone's signature on this board is particularly relevant.

Women have come out of the kitchen. But they still know where all the pointy things are kept.

[fireheart]

It goes the other way too. One of my coworkers at the fabric shop is a man, just as knowledgeable and experienced at sewing as the rest of us, and many of our older female customers ignore him or treat him with contempt, saying, "What does a man know about sewing?" Um, madam, isn't that Calvin Klein and Bill Blass clothing you're wearing?

They would probably not want to meet my boyfriend. Capable of wielding a sword, spear and shield, he fights people once a week in re-enactor combat.

And he also makes all of his own Viking clothing and taught me how to sew since I suck .

[Jester]

Both my sisters and I all cook...and cook well. My older sister knows her way around a glue gun far better than me, and is actually probably much handier than me.

My friend Little Red doesn't cook, and is more than happy to have myself or her boyfriend cook for her.

I've already mentioned my female coworker who lifted the full keg singlehandedly...she also happens to be the only fulltime (as in paid) female firefighter on this town's force. While some guys may have a problem with that, from what I've seen, none of the male firefighters do. Nor do the male paramedics....at a recent scene, when a paramedic needed help getting a larger individual into the ambulance, he went directly to my coworker for help over two other male firefighters standing there.

I dated a girl years ago that rides a Harley. And when I say "rides," I don't mean on the back. I mean she rides her own damn Harley. And it's badass. And so is she, despite being not that large.

And my Amazonian coworker above also drives a a Harley. Guys don't really mess with her. They are constantly challenging her to arm-wrestling, though, which she finds amusing. And she declines, for the very simple reason, as she says, that she has weak wrists and no arm-wrestling technique. She's strong, she's badass, but she is not an arm-wrestler, nor does she pretend to be one. This kind of pisses off a lot of guys....and she doesn't give a flying fuck.

We could go on and on.

The fact is there are very few things that either gender automatically does better than the other merely because they are of that gender. Obviously men can't get pregnant and women can't impregnate, but other than that, there's not that much, if people put their mind and passion to, that they can't do.

Sexism...it's for the ignorant and the lazy.

[TawnyMyst]

I was an engineer on the ships, I've been a welder, now I'm a railroader and a diesel mechanic. I'm female. I'll be the first to admit I don't do much with my own vehicles, they're both new enough to still be under warranty, and lets face it the engines I deal with on a regular basis are usually bigger than the car I drive, or truck. I've run into my fair share of sexism during my working career but I usually fire the comments right back at them.
As for the guy that didn't want you working on his car? He can take it right back home and do the work himself, after all he's a man, he should know how to do it, right?

[cono1717]

There's a reason I take my car to the garage, well two 1)it's a piece of cack 2)I can't fix it myself.

So hey if I get there and you fix it for a reasonable price I could care less if you have a wrench in your trousers or not.

[Seshat]

As for the guy that didn't want you working on his car? He can take it right back home and do the work himself, after all he's a man, he should know how to do it, right?

"Male knowledge" drops into the ballsac when the testes do.

[fireheart]

"Male knowledge" drops into the ballsac when the testes do.

thank you for that, now everyone is looking funny at me.

[Seshat]

Any time, fireheart. Any time.

[XCashier]

As I've said before, and will say again, sexism has cost the world more than one wonderful kindergarten teacher.

My brother would have been a wonderful early-childhood teacher. But the risk of his being accused of child abuse - even in Aussieland - is too close to a certainty. Just because he's a he.

That is a shame. My son's first grade teacher was a man, and a superb teacher he was, and is. Just goes to show how profoundly stupid the bigots are.

[wolfie]

Ok, so this happened a while back, but it made me so mad I remember it clear as day. I might be a girl, but dammit I can fix your car as well as the next guy. And look good while doing it. So there.

I was replacing a fuel pump in a F250 with my now-ex CW when this guy walks in wanting his vehicle checked out and air in his tires.

SC: Hey *CW* can you come put some air in my tires?
CW: Yeah me or Styx will be right there alright?

If he thinks that working on cars is a male skill, why is he bringing his car in to a shop. He should be forced to do his own car repairs so that he can feel all manly

Did anyone else note that the service he wanted was to ADJUST THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES? That's user-level maintenance, and he SHOULD have been able to do it BETTER than Styx could. Nothing to do with gender - it's because this is something that needs to be done when the tires are COLD. The customer has access to his own car after it's been parked overnight at home and not gone anywhere. Unless the customer is willing to wait until the next day, Styx only has access to the car AFTER the customer has driven it to the shop and warmed up the tires.

Criticizing someone's ability based on their gender, and yet he can't do the simplest things himself?

[Moosenogger]

SC: I see. *to me, in a sarcastic tone* Don't worry honey, if you try reeeaaaaallll hard, maybe, just maybe, one day you'll be good enough to change my oil.

"And maybe if you try reeeeeaaaalll hard, you'll be good enough to change your own oil."

What a jackhole. I can't stand people who talk down to others because they assume they're stupid. I have one of those in my own store. Everyone hates him.

[ozcatbug]

SC: I see. *to me, in a sarcastic tone* Don't worry honey, if you try reeeaaaaallll hard, maybe, just maybe, one day you'll be good enough to change my oil.

I just think this is hilarious. Changing oil and putting air in the tyres is basic basic level car maintenance. My father made sure both me and my brother could do this sort of thing before we got our licences. In fact it really pissed me off when I tried to do my last oil change and I couldn't turn the sump plug, and my dad asked "are you sure you are turning it the right way?" I've only been doing oil changes for the past 18 years. Think I know by now which way to turn the plug.

[fireheart]

Did anyone else note that the service he wanted was to ADJUST THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES? That's user-level maintenance, and he SHOULD have been able to do it BETTER than Styx could. Nothing to do with gender - it's because this is something that needs to be done when the tires are COLD. The customer has access to his own car after it's been parked overnight at home and not gone anywhere. Unless the customer is willing to wait until the next day, Styx only has access to the car AFTER the customer has driven it to the shop and warmed up the tires.

Criticizing someone's ability based on their gender, and yet he can't do the simplest things himself?

Hold on...adjusting the air pressure....is that just pumping up the tyres or is that something else entirely? I have absolutely no problem doing that....geez what a big crybaby

[crazylegs]

SC: I see. *to me, in a sarcastic tone* Don't worry honey, if you try reeeaaaaallll hard, maybe, just maybe, one day you'll be good enough to change my oil.

Don't worry arsehole, if you try reeeaaaaalll hard, maybe, just maybe, one day you'll get laid!