Moments of unintended sexism

I'm still faintly (pleasantly) surprised when I am on plane and a female voice says "This is your captain speaking"

Oh I love it when this happens! I always think to myself "I'm in good hands". I guess that's sexist too, just the other way.

My moment of shame, as a staunch feminist:

My friend (male) had just started dating a woman and was talking about how she had just moved back in with her parents, but their house was ENORMOUS.

My immediate question was "What did her dad do?

Oh, the shame! DP has never let me forget it.

Long gone are the days where people addressing a female doctor call her "nurse" and ask "Where's the male doctor?"

Sadly, they really aren't.

Talking to DS about his maths homework I said 'so did he tell you how to do it' and he said 'why do you think my maths teacher is a man? #everyday sexism, mum'
I'm a bit my 12 year old pulled me up on it.

Don't think I've ever seen a female security guard. Only female receptionists

I've seen female guards and bouncers. Most gig venues have a mix of sexes.

No but everyone who ever phoned me in the UK did. I have an unusual Irish name and work as an engineer, ever single time, 'oh I thought you were a man'.

MIL seems to have a dim view on women's abilities and kept on about the female captain on last year's cruise. Having watched the news in recent months I would prefer a female pilot or ship's captain.

I'm still faintly (pleasantly) surprised when I am on plane and a female voice says "This is your captain speaking"

I've just been dealing with the gas company on the phone, and had to speak to at least a dozen people with a wide range of intelligence and competence. Got called by a cheerful woman asking why I hadn't answered the phone and assumed it was their useless helpdesk phoning me back. It was in fact the gas engineer. She hadn't been given my mobile number.

Took me a minute to figure out that when she was talking about where she was, this was because she was the "gas bloke" promised by the company.

London buses did a big recruitment campaign for women drivers a few years back, once they all had power steering and strength wasn't a factor in hiring any more. Now about 1 in 10 drivers is female but I did double-takes for ages.

When DS was coming up for his third birthday I was wrapping up his present while he was napping and DD (then 5) was around. She said
"Mummy what are you doing?"
"I'm going up to get some wrapping paper for DS's present"
"Why don't you use this pretty wrapping paper?"
"Oh I can't use that one, it's covered in flowers"
"But DS likes flowers "

I had a sudden moment of clarity and realised, yes of course, DS did really adore flowers and I was a sexist idiot.

The head steward in the part of the ground where I watch my football team (it is by far and away the 'liveliest' area) is female.

It is not for the faint hearted but she is very well respected.

I was surprised to see a female coach driver recently, just because that's quite a male-dominated career.

Don't think I've ever seen a female security guard.

I've seen quite a few.

I've been surprised recently at seeing a couple of female road workers and Highway Engineer Foremen (women?).

I think the fact that I register my surprise and subconscious prejudice is a positive. It's a step in the right direction anyway.

I'd also be quite surprised to see a female security guard in a shop.
I wouldn't think "Oh no look a woman, this shop is going to be overrun with thieves!"

Don't think I've ever seen a female security guard. Only female receptionists.

Your response wasn't sexist necessarily, you didn't think "Oh no a crap girl mechanic is going to mess up my car".

The response would have been likened to an expectation of likelihood.

Long gone are the days where people addressing a female doctor call her "nurse" and ask "Where's the male doctor?".

We are (hopefully) moving away from the days where in a boardroom, the only female executive in the room is asked to go fetch the tea and coffees.

I would have expected a male mechanic, because most mechanics are male.

There are many societal influences at work that prevent women from becoming mechanics, plasterers, plumbers, electricians, many other professions. So it is not surprising to be surprised when you come across females in these professions. Sexism is in the prevention of women entering male dominated professions, and in preventing men entering female dominated professions.

I wouldn't worry! It was a natural assumption based on statistical probability.

It's the way you act on it that matters. I'm assuming that you didn't make her feel bad by making any comments on her being female or assuming incompetence. In fact I'm guessing you felt a bit happy to see a female mechanic.

Did you tell her?