AIBU to think this magazine cover is really sexist?

[cheeseycharlie]

I receive this magazine, and the January issue cover here left me a bit

This plays to the worst stereotypes of sexism in the construction industry. It is a disservice to the industry and insulting to the women who work in it.

The publisher responded to me that the image "simply shows a woman at work on the project featured in the article". Well he clearly has forgotten the H&S laws that protect all workers by requiring steel-toe boots, hard hats etc - and not silly pink spotty wellies! I am not sure what the H&S laws say about flashing cleavage while on site though...

AIBU or should I lighten up?

I wouldn't lighten up. I worked in construction for a while and my mum worked for a very large engineering firm, started as a temp typist and went in to be their first female engineer!

We know what it's like to banter, both swear like troopers as that's normal too, but there is a line.

YANBU. At all.

The image simply shows a woman playing at builders and about to lose a fucking toe. Cheesus.

Jesus, what a wanky image. Let's put a woman in a skimpy top and shorts and pink wellies on the cover. Not pandering to any stereotypes much. So far to go, eh?

That's awful. Do people really go to work dressed like that on construction sites? I don't think so. Its not realistic.

I find it astonishing that certain fields still have gender imbalances, such as engineering and construction, whereas other fields which are just as physically and/or mentally demanding don't - the equine industry, medicine, the law, etc.. My suspicion is that the powers that be in these fields are keeping the female talent out because they won't be able to handle the increase in competition and get away with poor working practices.

YANBU. Would they put a picture of a man "at work on the project" wearing speedos?

Agree - it's ridiculous! Would you show a picture of a woman doing a more traditionally female role such as delivering a baby or teaching a class full of kids showing that much cleavage? No, you wouldn't. You'd show them wearing the appropriate clothing for their job.

Good thing they shot it from below. As a reader I'd have been very concerned if they hadn't shown me the builder had breasts.

Ah Athrodiaeth has it! If they hadn't showed her boobies I would have thought that all the testosterone on the building site had made them wither away. Good work Construction Digital. Fighting the sterotypes one pink wellie boobie shot at a time.

I don't think it is sexist.

It isn't a model, it's a real woman working for Chixs In The Mix, an Australian concrete contractors (I Googled the name on her hat).

As for a skimpy top and shorts, I'd guess that working outdoors in Australia requires light, airy clothes.

Awful cover . completely inappropriate work clothing and a voyeuristic camera angle to boot. I'd be writing in to that publication to complain if that were you OP!

Accident rates are pretty shocking in the construction industry but can't say I've ever seen someone working like this (and I go out to building sites a fair bit as part of my job).

Is the photo a real one or a staged one? I'd be more annoyed if it was staged than if it was a genuine photo of a woman working on a project, although I think YANBU either way.

I'm sure they wouldn't put a photo of a man doing what she is doing in wellies on their front cover.

Maybe they are steel toe capped pink spotty work wellies?

But Suelford was that particular camera angle really necessary?

(what Athrodiaeth and WilsonFrickett said) :)

Do they have a twitter? If yes, I'd recommend sending that image to @everydaysexism and copying them in. I reckon that would get you a better response from them.

I don't know about necessary, it's certainly more dramatic. It makes the subject look more imposing and towering.

While my DH and DS might like it if someone turned up on site looking like that.... but YANBU. The female building workers I know have to follow the same H&S rules - practical clothing, hard hat and safety boots [and yes, you can get pink ones!] as everyone else.

There is still sexism in the industry, many men just don't think women are physically strong enough to do the job. It is gradually getting better, I've not been patronised in the merchants for ages....though the rep from the FMB did ask to speak to my "hubby" grrrrrr

I think its the combination of low cut top and flesh revealing clothes in conjunction with the construction site Suelford - I don't think the primary intention was to make a photo look imposing and towering, but an excuse to put a skimpily dressed woman on the magazine cover.

I am therefore assuming that the publishers can point to a similar proportion of skimpily clad men working in hot climates on construction sites dressed like that who have been featured on the magazine cover.

The wellies were odd - I'm pretty sure that Australian Health and Safety at Work law is based on a system very similar to the UK one.

Actually I have to admit I was vaguely pissed off the other night because my husband was telling me about the responsible construction scheme. It means you're not allowed to whistle and cat call at women which is amazing. I used to be mortified when they did that to me as a teenager and would take massive detours to avoid building sites.

But then he told me that it also meant builders weren't supposed to take their tops off. What's that all about? I used to love a bit of buff builder with their top off in the summertime. No fun.

The fact it isn't posed by a model doesn't make it any better.

The camera angle (right down her top - really??) was completely sexist and unnecessary. It, once again, demotes women to sex object. Oh look we have women in construction too - but they are still women check out the pink wellies, oh and check out her tits, let's make it easy for y'all by shooting the photograph down her top.

How can anyone not see the sexism in that photograph? Here's a question cheeseycharlie have you ever seen that magazine have a 'Diet-coke-like' picture of a man in construction? I'll bet it hasn't.

Don't lighten up at all - you don't need to and you are right.

cheers guys. I did contact them. At first they tried to defend it because the image was provided by the women-in-construction group featured in the article (therefore it must be okay apparently). I pointed out that the article was meant to encourage women into the industry, and any woman considering a career in construction who isn't toned, tanned and happy to flash a bit of thigh and boob is going to be a bit put off to say the least. And that she is wearing no PPE is awful - her safety has been sacrificed so that she can look attractive. They said they would bring it up in a design meeting but I'm not sure they really agreed with my take on it. I hope they think more carefully about the impact of this stuff on their readers.

Sheesh!

cheeseycharlie well done and thank you for taking the time to complain. It's only if enough people stand up and speak out that anything will change.

Is there an email adress we can all write to to complain?

Yes, could we have an email address. I'd like them to know it isn't just YOUR take on it. Good for you for taking the time to complain.