I know I am am expecting a kicking but really I have to let this out

[Ormirian]

Open evening at college. It's an excellent college, one of the top in the UK. Loads of opportunities. We had a look around and then listened to a talk from the principal. At one point she was showing a presentation of the facilities and asking if there was anyone here interested in this or that subject area.

"Auto engineering, who's thinking of that when they leave school?"

About 7 hands went up. All male.

"Beauty skills, or hair-dressing. Anyone here interested in those areas?"

10 hands went up. All female.

I know there is nothing wrong with either of those professions but it would be so refreshing if that hasn't been the case.

[DuchessOfAvon]

You won't get a kicking from me but it is sad that it's all so gender-divided. I am in the the middle of reading THe Equality Illusion and am deeply depressed by it.

I have meet many male hairdressers in my life though - and at least one was straight - but no female mechanics.

[paulinefouler]

My sil wants to be a plumber if that makes you feel better .

[Ormirian]

The second one because I don't see why they are 'male and female oriented jobs'. Why are they? Can't men hold scissors. Can't women use a spanner?

[Ormirian]

Excellent pauline!

[HeadFairy]

No kicking from me either, it's really sad that everyone sticks so firmly in their gender pigeon holes. I do a fairly blokey job and I'm always thrilled when we have female work experiencers who want to do it.

[DuchessOfAvon]

My sister is an aerospace engineer. Does that help?

[sfxmum]

my 5yr old's after school activities

disco club - all girls
boxing club - all boys

[FakePlasticTrees]

It is depressing. But peer pressure at that age is strong. there may be boys who are going to aim for hairdressing or girls who'll be looking at auto engineering who weren't feeling brave enough to put there hand up in a room like that but will apply for the course.

BTW - I've never been to a posh hairdressers that didn't have at least one male stylist....

[Ormirian]

Yes duchess. It does help. As is getorf I beleive

DS wants to do that too. And yes I know that logically for my arguemnt I should be steering him towards flower arranging

[NestaFiesta]

If they don't fancy it, they don't fancy it. I've never wanted to work on an oil rig. Doesn't mean I'm a victim of gender stereotyping.

I got annoyed at school once when our exasperated teacher had a go at us girls for not wanted to do engineering. Did anyone have a go at the boys for not wanting to do Home Economics or Fremch? Nope.

I just think the two sexes are different and have different interests. Girls know they can be engineers and astronauts and plumbers, but very often they just don't want to. Boys know they can be hairdressers and teachers, but you will still find these fields largely (speaking generaly here) dominated by women. Its fair enough.

[BikeRunSki]

I am a civil engineer. I spent much o fmy early career on a building site. Like HEad Fairy, I always get v exited when otehr girls coem along.

[HeadFairy]

My school was great at encouraging the girls to do what ever they wanted. It was a convent school which is odd if you think about it, the Catholic church isn't exactly banging the feminist drum, but the ethos was very much towards doing sciences and subjects girls don't usually take to. Most of my friends from there do jobs that would be considered non traditional for women, civil engineers, non uniform police, forensic pathologist etc.

[DuchessOfAvon]

I did extracurricular woodwork at school because the boy I fancied did it as a blow for equality.

[DuchessOfAvon]

Oh pants - my strike out is on the blink again.

[SuePurblybiltByElves]

It's funny though that when men do go into what people think of as "female" professions, they are often regarded so highly. Fashion designers, hairdressers, chefs. But you get the feeling that women plumbers are laughed at.
Not sure where I'm going with that

[catinthehat2]

you have to strike out word by word

[curlymama]

I don't see the problem tbh. Lots of girls like make up and beauty stuff, lots of boys like engines. As long as both sexes know they can do whichever subject they choose, this is a bit of a non problem.

Why should they be encouraged to do something they don't want to do just because of gender equality?

[thefinerthingsinlife]

Orm i'm currently at college doing an access course, on my way to class I walk past both the salons and the workshops.

There are at least 5 boys that are learning hairdressing and 2 girls working on cars. It always cheers me up.

[mamadiva]

My male best friend is a hair dresser
My aunt is a highly qualified joiner
My female cousin is a painter/decorator

There is equality because boys/girls can choose to join any profession they like but there will always be a stigma IMO, it's not right but I think this puts a lot of people off taking part in the 'opposite profession'.

I wonder if there was a shock factor about men/women becoming chefs at any point in time as obviously history shows us that women were associated with kitchens and men were associated with being in charge so what happens when both are needed... does it then become equal? Sorry random I know but just thought of that.

[ISNT]

I always think it would be interesting to look at the subjects taken by children at single sex and mixed sex schools, see if there was a difference. I went to a single sex school and there was a very high take-up of maths & sciences.

[4andnotout]

I did a modern apprenticeship and became a mechanised bookbinder, my dad, grandads and great grandads were all printers and bookbinders so it seemed apt.
My sister worked on a farm and my brother took a nice clean job in a bank :)
As long as my dd's enjoy their jobs as much as anyone can enjoy working it doesn't matter to me if they chose something like hairdressing over building.

[ISNT]

Those two examples are interesting as well orm as I guess they are the "options for less academic boys and girls" (don't clobber me) and the automotive option is I suspect much more lucrative for the average practitioner than hairdressing/beauty.

[whoneedssleepanyway]

I am not really sure what the big deal is, do you really think there are many men out there with a burning desire to be beauticians? I can't see how you would ever expect that to be anything other than a female career, and if there were male beauticians would you let a male stranger do a brazillian bikini wax on you.

If a girl did want to pursue a career as a mechanic there would be nothing to stop her these days, i just don't think it something most girls would be interested in.

Men and women are different so there is always going to be certain jobs that attract a higher proportion of one or other sex.

As long as boys and girls aren't put off doing something they want to because they think they can't because of their sex I don't think it really matters.

[Blu]

I find it depressing that women (mostly) are so obsessed with creating a demand for 'beauty skills'. And that we are all seemingly obsessed with owning more and bigger and better cars and upping the demand for auto engineering.
As opportunities in the job market expand fo women, we seem to have backed ourselves more determindly into the Pink corner - and introduce our daughters to being a mini-me, taking the out for 'girly days' having their nails done (doubtless by someone who left college with some certificate in 'beauty skills) and shopping aged 7.

I find it depressing.