..outrageous sexism is still something I bet most of us still buy in to... when you want a birthday card for a little boy or girl..what do you go for?... a pink frilly one for a girl and a bluey masculine type for a boy...? only the boldest in my experience...opt for something less gender specific...and supermarkets etc. are loathe to change the status quo... because it sells...
..never mind the 1950's... it's still rife today...and most people seem happy to go along with it...afraid to rock the boat...so to speak...
I remember, a long time ago helping my ex (a builder) to unload concrete lintels at a site on a USAF housing complex - I was dressed for a cold day in overalls, thick jacket and a woolly hat and gloves - a US Airman stood and watched me for a while, then strolled over and started talking to my hub - I continued to unload the truck - the hub then said something to me and I replied - when he heard my voice the airman jumped around looking appalled, called me Ma'am and tried to prevent me from lifting any more lintels, saying that he'd not realised that I 'was a lady' !!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I remember once, many years ago when I'd first passed my driving test and was 9 stone something and very slim, I was on my way to see OH in a short skirt and got a flat tyre, I kid you not, at least 3 men in cars stopped to offer help, which I politely declined as I was capable of changing it myself (it was during my student years!!). Bearing that in mind, I couple of years ago, maybe 20 years later, I had a flat tyre and everyone just drove on by while I stood waiting for the AA van
being a environmental conservationist I cant count the number of times I've been called 'lad' or something similar in winter (multiple layers is not flattering).
or when I've turned up on a job with a chainsaw and five apprentices, the person in charge has gone over to the oldest looking apprentice (as if they're in charge.) its always amusing when you see their face as they turn round as the apprentice turns and pointed at me! lol and I still get when's the bloke in charge turning up (never being the answer, seeing as I was in charge!)
it seems to be the older the client im working with the more surprised they are that a lowly woman can do the job just as well (or sometimes better) than any man!
In the nineties, I was working on a building site in the US Virgin Islands. The guys assembled a scaffold tower for me and then said,'How will you get up there?'
'On the integral ladder, just like you did' was my reply. I can't imagine what was going through their heads; did they think I would need a fork lift to get up there?
Many years go I was in charge of a heavy construction team, the Works Manager told me he was putting a Graduate Engineer with me to see how it was done. This girl turned up in my office, skirt blouse jacket, I asked what she was expecting to do? Everything you do says she. "Right" you need gear, got it she said I will change, a few minutes later she was there in boots overalls hard hat the lot. The first job was 300 feet up a tower, have you a head for heights I asked, I rock climb she said, she followed me to the top. She made notes asked questions and we discussed solutions to problems. Some years later coming from the main offices a car pulled up I heard my name called and this Lady shot across wrapped her arms round me and I got a big kiss, somewhat shocked as were the other people getting out of the car she said this man saw an engineer not a woman, it turned out she had gone up in the world, saying thank you she went on her way and I saw later was on the main Board at ICI.
My Granddaughter is a Graduate engineer has just gone back to Canada where she is a plant manager, women can make it in a mans world and I see no reason why not.
Posts
Clari - Luvvit!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
..outrageous sexism is still something I bet most of us still buy in to... when you want a birthday card for a little boy or girl..what do you go for?... a pink frilly one for a girl and a bluey masculine type for a boy...? only the boldest in my experience...opt for something less gender specific...and supermarkets etc. are loathe to change the status quo... because it sells...
..never mind the 1950's... it's still rife today...and most people seem happy to go along with it...afraid to rock the boat...so to speak...
I remember, a long time ago helping my ex (a builder) to unload concrete lintels at a site on a USAF housing complex - I was dressed for a cold day in overalls, thick jacket and a woolly hat and gloves - a US Airman stood and watched me for a while, then strolled over and started talking to my hub - I continued to unload the truck - the hub then said something to me and I replied - when he heard my voice the airman jumped around looking appalled, called me Ma'am and tried to prevent me from lifting any more lintels, saying that he'd not realised that I 'was a lady' !!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It is quite funny that most men think we cant do any heavy work
I remember once, many years ago when I'd first passed my driving test and was 9 stone something and very slim, I was on my way to see OH in a short skirt and got a flat tyre, I kid you not, at least 3 men in cars stopped to offer help, which I politely declined as I was capable of changing it myself (it was during my student years!!). Bearing that in mind, I couple of years ago, maybe 20 years later, I had a flat tyre and everyone just drove on by while I stood waiting for the AA van
being a environmental conservationist I cant count the number of times I've been called 'lad' or something similar in winter (multiple layers is not flattering).
or when I've turned up on a job with a chainsaw and five apprentices, the person in charge has gone over to the oldest looking apprentice (as if they're in charge.) its always amusing when you see their face as they turn round as the apprentice turns and pointed at me! lol and I still get when's the bloke in charge turning up (never being the answer, seeing as I was in charge!)
it seems to be the older the client im working with the more surprised they are that a lowly woman can do the job just as well (or sometimes better) than any man!
In the nineties, I was working on a building site in the US Virgin Islands. The guys assembled a scaffold tower for me and then said,'How will you get up there?'
'On the integral ladder, just like you did' was my reply. I can't imagine what was going through their heads; did they think I would need a fork lift to get up there?
Many years go I was in charge of a heavy construction team, the Works Manager told me he was putting a Graduate Engineer with me to see how it was done. This girl turned up in my office, skirt blouse jacket, I asked what she was expecting to do? Everything you do says she. "Right" you need gear, got it she said I will change, a few minutes later she was there in boots overalls hard hat the lot. The first job was 300 feet up a tower, have you a head for heights I asked, I rock climb she said, she followed me to the top. She made notes asked questions and we discussed solutions to problems. Some years later coming from the main offices a car pulled up I heard my name called and this Lady shot across wrapped her arms round me and I got a big kiss, somewhat shocked as were the other people getting out of the car she said this man saw an engineer not a woman, it turned out she had gone up in the world, saying thank you she went on her way and I saw later was on the main Board at ICI.
My Granddaughter is a Graduate engineer has just gone back to Canada where she is a plant manager, women can make it in a mans world and I see no reason why not.
Frank.