Females in the trade

moneyistooshorttomention

On the reverse side, I did a traditionally "male" job some years back and saw no reason why I shouldn't earn a higher rate of pay than I had previously in more traditional "female" work.

Have single person household = need to earn "persons" income (ie not a "womans" income) if I get the chance.

I couldn't do a job involving physical strength personally - though I'm sure some other women could - but that job didn't, so I could and did.

I'm a "person" and not a "woman" iyswim. Why should the sex my body is alter the jobs I do?

tea_lover

AubreyMac wrote: »

My colleagues husband is a male midwife, something I've never heard of before and didn't know existed. Wouldn't he be called a midhusband?

I think midwife means "with woman" (or similar) so a male midwife is still a midwife

ViolaLass

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

On the reverse side, I did a traditionally "male" job some years back and saw no reason why I shouldn't earn a higher rate of pay than I had previously in more traditional "female" work.

Have single person household = need to earn "persons" income (ie not a "womans" income) if I get the chance.

Because women only need to earn pin money?


I'm a woman. I'm the breadwinner in our house. I'm not a tiler but only because I've never wanted to be, not because it ever occurred to me that I couldn't or shouldn't.

I manage the family finances AND I'll be voting today.

duchy

I can't decide if I should laugh or cry over this thread.

As the OP is talking about training for work she is likely younger than me and I do wonder where she grew up . I left school in the late seventies and even then remember jobs like engineering promoted to girls.

Over the years I've used women cab drivers (mini cab and black cab), women bus drivers , plumbers, decorators, dentists, doctors, police , pilots I even worked with a woman who boxed for England .

I did think as the OP was reassured that the boiler lady was "only" the sales person and wouldn't be fitting the boiler.......would she also be more reassured if her surgeon was a man rather than a woman too ?

I really didn't believe there were any women of working age left who thought that way .

I did have an elderly lady ring up when there was a big football match on TV for help with her broadband and her opening was "Hello dear - Are the girls answering the technical phones today because all the boys are watching the football?" I literally spluttered - and then burst out laughing and told her no- and actually I'd trained a lot of "the boys" on the shift

duchy

AubreyMac wrote: »

Are people really surprised when someone finds it surprising to see a women doing what's traditionally a male job? That doesn't mean someone lives in the old days, it just means they've not seen it before.

My colleagues husband is a male midwife, something I've never heard of before and didn't know existed. Wouldn't he be called a midhusband?

I don't think there are any traditionally male jobs around anymore. There was a male midwife in the maternity ward when my son was born 23 years ago and nursery nurses I've come across male ones. Male nurses have been around for decades, there are male beauticians training at our local college (makes sense with the interest in male skincare etc) I'm trying to think of a job I've never seen done by the other sex and I genuinely can't.

OP If I remember correctly from your posts you are in your thirties -If you think you have the flair and application and are prepared to do some training (DIY at home and a paid job aren't the same -you can do training courses or even an apprenticeship to gain experience) then why not. Most women don't have the mindset about "jobs for the boys" that you do and I do know of one decorator who works exclusively for women who for a variety of reasons religious, domestic abuse etc aren't comfortable having a man in their home doing work as well as others who do general work. Good decorators are always in demand -but cowboys (and cowgirls) are a nightmare so do it right and you could have a very nice steady job....or a business if you choose to go self employed. Go for it - if it's what you want !

tea_lover

Yes - I think the surprise is that there are people who still see things as "male jobs".

AubreyMac

Male/Female jobs don’t meanonly certain genders can do it, it just means it’s a job where it’spredominantly men/women.

I’ve seen many female busdrivers, pilots and truck drivers. As I’ve seen so many I don’t view it as surprising.

The sales rep for the boilerwas also old, after having quotes from other self employed boiler installers itis usual for the person doing the actual job to come give the quote too but onthis occasion it wasn’t the case.

Yes, I’m 31 and whilst it’sencouraging that there is a demand for females in the trade, I wanted views ona female painter/decorator. In the long run I’m not up for heavy lifting so don’tthink I’ll progress to installing boilers.

I have a male friend (with aunisex name) who did a lot of agency work as a teaching assistant. Some schoolsrefuse to allow him in a reception/nursery class or around young children wherethere is nappy changing required. Apparently some schools or parents have anissue with a male changing their child’s nappy. I personally think that’s apoor attitude of the school/parent but most mothers I know find itunderstandable of the school.

GingerBob_3

AubreyMac wrote: »

Does anyone know any?

Whilst doing some DIY in my own flat, I have found that I actually enjoy doing it.

I need to retrain (can not stand my job anymore) and have thought about doing something hands on.

Am thinking of doing painting and decorating and then moving on to tiling.

The only thing I think may hold me back is the fact that I'm a woman.

Admittedly, when I got a quote for my new boiler I was rather put off when a woman showed up. But she was only a sales rep and not the person doing the actual job.

I met someone at an event yesterday and he's into the construction trade, he know 2 women decorators who are always busy which I thought was encouraging.

Why do you think being a woman is holding you back? This is a kind of militant feminist view that really has no place in the 21st century. Woman are generally not barred from anything. The fact that there's so few women tradesmen - decorators in your case - is because it's not the type of work that appeals to most women. Remember that women and men are different. Again, generally speaking, they have different interests and aspirations, and each sex is better at some things that others. Women make better primary school teachers, nurses, administrators etc, while men are better at anything involving physical strength.

If you want to be a decorator, go for it.

GingerBob_3

tea_lover wrote: »

Yes - I think the surprise is that there are people who still see things as "male jobs".

It's not surprising at all. See my previous post. Men are better at some things than women, and vice versa. But the important point is that some jobs appeal to men more than they do to women (and vice versa), hence the discrepancies.

ViolaLass

GingerBob wrote: »

Again, generally speaking, they have different interests and aspirations, and each sex is better at some things that others. Women make better primary school teachers, nurses, administrators etc, while men are better at anything involving physical strength.

Out-dated, sexist twaddle.

AubreyMac - if the school really did what they did (and the person concerned had gone through all the usual checks e.g. CRB) then that is discrimination.