Amazing ladies poll - how many of these 12 things can you do?

[Dargawn]

How many of these things can you do without assistance:

Add air to a tyre
Change oil
Change a wheel on your car
Fix a bike pucture
Put up shelving
Change a plug adhering to all safety advice and best practice
Put together a cabinet-size piece of flat pack furniture
Set up a home network
Diganose problem and mend toaster
Change element in an oven
Sort out a fuse box if lights go off
Turn off water at mains in case of leak

I can do none very confidently at the moment, but at a stretch might be able to do three.

I want to be able to do them all.

All of those, but so can my DH. We learned from the Collins DIY manual and so can anyone.
But I can also grow humans, keep them alive, teach them, hold down a job and so many other awesome things.
We're all amazing, being able to do some chores doesn't make it that way.

I've never owned a car of my own and only recently learnt to drive so never had to do any of the first 3 but I can do them all on an aeroplane so I expect I can do them to a car too!

Can't remember how to fix a bike puncture and probably wouldn't try, last time I got one I just bought new a tyre. TBH I also don't change my tyres myself (winter tyres to summer tyres and vice versa) and take my bike to the garage and pay them to change them but I watched how it was done last time (made some friends do it for me) so maybe I'll try myself next time. At least I know how to do it now.

Putting up shelving and putting together flat pack furniture is no problem, I enjoy that kind of thing.

Can turn off water at the mains, of course.

The other stuff I'm sure I could do if I looked up how to do them, just never needed to. But if you can find instructions on something then you should be able to do just about anything that you are physically capable of, its just a matter of understanding and following the instructions.

Yeah I’d struggle with a tyre or a toaster but can do the rest - I’m old so in my era you had to fit plugs to things!

I do minor plumbing, gardening and wallpaper!

I can, and have changed a tyre more than once - and yes I am a woman. I can do all of that list - and probably more. I’m 45 years old. I’ve repaired more punctures on bikes than I would have liked, repaired and replaced plug sockets, built 6 ikea flat pack wardrobes (with mirror doors) alone and did it between breastfeeding and changing babies. I’m not a martyr or trying to claim some super hero status - I just think your claim that many women can’t do half of your list is nonsense

Is that a new change? Genuinely interested - I’m a new driver so still learning about cars. My car is 12 years old and I’ve put the spare wheel on using the kit in the boot which seemed decent enough. Do new cars not come with jacks etc.?

All of them apart from the car ones, but I do not own a car and never will so I don't need to know.

I've never lived with a man so I do everything at home on my own.

Not particularly new (our current car is older than that) - I'm impressed you've managed to change a wheel with the kit in your car; our manufacturer supplied kit includes a spanner that's about 25cm long; I wouldn't have a hope of getting the nuts of with it. Yours may be better equipped.

pretty sure I can do all of them with the aid of handy YouTube guides but don't really fancy it.

I am a proud lazy bum who prefers to part with money rather than make any effort, so....

I think there's an additional question to ask about what tasks a person needs to be able to do. You leave yourself vulnerable if you can't do some of those tasks on the list but not all.

Everyone (IMO) should know how to turn off the water supply for example, whether single or not, because what if you're home alone and your pipe bursts? The damage that can be done in just 30 minutes is quite something. Changing the oil on a car? Less so. I used to service my own cars but now I pay someone else because my time is worth more to me and a car service is not an emergency situation.

As a now pretty competent DIYer I've been amazed at how easy many tasks are, particularly if you have the right tools. Way easier than dealing with a tantrumming toddler while also trying to cook dinner and supervise another child's homework! Plus with DIY everyone then tells you how clever you are or you get a tangible end product that everyone admires - unlike managing to get everyone fed and homework submitted on time which everyone forgets about instantly once done.

Ona different note, having worked with abused women I have noticed how many have taken back abusive men because they needed a DIY task done and did not possess the skills, tools or confidence to tackle it. Abusive men can really use this to their advantage. Teaching a range of practical life skills could really help tackle this.

Probably over half, and the rest i'd watch a video on YouTube to guide me through it and have a crack.

I can and have done 8 out of the 12 in the last 10 years.

I know the mechanics of how to change a tyre and fix a bike puncture but have not done them for probably 30 years.

I have no idea about changing the oil but as it’s a once a year job when I get my car serviced I’m not bothered about learning it and I’ve never needed to fix a toaster and in all honesty if it broke I’d just get another one as I don’t have an expensive one.

9 of these!

I can and have done a lot on that list. Frankly it should be labelled 'can you (man or woman) do these?'.

I acknowledge these are historically jobs men did however many can't do them now, I'd expect the same amount of men as women able to do them. What's shocking though is they most women still do and are expected to do the 'woman' jobs and men can't (or won't) do them.

So this is yet another area where women have developed their skills and become more independent whereas men have lost skills and not acquired new ones.

I cant do any of them

But i know a man who can

FWIW, the AA does not come out to tyre failures
OP needs to check her info as the AA even explains on their website how they repair tyres when there is no spare wheel, so they must deal with tyre failures.

The AA came out when I returned to my car after work and found a punctured tyre.

Add air to a tyre - yes
Change oil - probably could, but I havent ever done a full change, just topped it up
Change a wheel on your car - yes
Fix a bike puncture- yes
Put up shelving - yes
Change a plug adhering to all safety advice and best practice - yes
Put together a cabinet-size piece of flat pack furniture - yes
Set up a home network - yes
Diganose problem and mend toaster - would buy a new one
Change element in an oven - yes with instructions because I dont mess around and guess with electrical things
Sort out a fuse box if lights go off - yes
Turn off water at mains in case of leak - yes

I would personally add a couple more

Perform CPR
Use a fire extinguisher
Keep track of personal finances and live within your means (no short term debt)
Write an appropriate condolences note
Keep a house plant alive and healthy
Cook a well balanced meal every night for a week

You sound a bit angry. Calling people useless? Nice.

The AA do go out to people with flat tyres.

I really need to get confident with a drill. I am generally pretty good at just you tubing and giving it a go and I know picture hanging can’t be that hard but I’m just so worried about peppering the walls. I’m fine at drilling stuff that doesn’t matter if it’s a bit shit like the bottom of planters etc.

@sanityisamyth why is it something to not be proud of, like someone should be ashamed they cant do a list of tasks deemed by 1 random person to suddenly be important.

I cant do most of these because im disabled, it doesnt make me less amazing or less of a decent person, it means I do what im able to do and get help with what I cant.

To decide someone should be embarrassed or 'not proud' because they cant do a random list of tasks is ridiculous. Good for you that you can do them and you have taught your child to do them, not everyone can.

I assume this is a list of things that men are expected to do and women should be able to to maintain an air of independence and value?

I can do some of those, but not all.

I earn more money than the vast majority of men and so pay someone (usually a man!) to do these things for me. I don’t feel bad about it.

I can do everything on OP's list bar the toaster and none of the things listed in the quoted post.

I would argue that the items listed in the quoted post are more important work as all the stuff OP listed can be outsourced by handing some money to a tradesperson or replacing the defective item. You can't outsource breastfeeding your child.

I agree with the quoted poster that stereotypically male competencies don't make a woman more amazing than stereotypically female ones. I add to that that prioritising male-coded skills over female-coded skills is a form of misogyny.

The ones which are really important (air, wheel, puncture, plug, fuse & water*) - yes

*unless the nuts are too tight
** unless it's stuck (need to check that actually)

Of the others (oil, shelving, cabinet, home network, toaster, oven) I can put together a flat pack. The others - I don't feel a need to be able to do them, I'd rather pay someone who knows what they're doing and (hopefully) enjoys it.

Home network - the devices communicate as much as we need them to and has been done on an 'as need' basis rather than thinking "Oh I'll set up my home network".

Also kind of object to the "Amazing Ladies"

Weird list as some tasks are so basic and others ones depend on circumstances

Add air to a tyre Yes
Change oil No as currently have no access to pit or ramps but could do if I had
Change a wheel on your car Yes
Fix a bike puncture Yes
Put up shelving Yes
Change a plug adhering to all safety advice and best practice Yes
Put together a cabinet-size piece of flat pack furniture Yes
Set up a home network Yes
Diagnose problem and mend toaster Depends what is up with it
Change element in an oven Prefer to buy extended warrantee
Sort out a fuse box if lights go off Yes
Turn off water at mains in case of leak Dear God YES!

It amazes me when either men or women cannot paint walls/ woodwork to a decent standard and just do not try to learn but then complain about getting it done. Or similarly not be able to do basics like change a light fitting, trim a hedge, cook a meal, bake a cake, sew, CPR etc. just basic life/ maintenance stuff.

But each to their own. I you prefer to outsource and do not want to do it then go you if you can afford it!

Having said that I am mixing cement today which I would really rather not be doing...

I can
Put up shelving
Change a plug
Put together flat pack furniture
Sort out fuse box if lights go out
Turn off water at the mains.
I don't drive so don't need to worry about cars and my son is an electrician who can fix most household appliances/issues.

7 which is more than my DH could do