AIBU to think 'go me' when you fix something in the house

[Louloubelle78]

So in the last week I have fixed a blocked drain that stumped my partner and I fixed the washing machine. Potentially saving us a small fortune. I did it with YouTube. I know fixing stuff with YouTube is not a new phenomena, but I just felt mega proud. My only issue is all these how to fixing clips are all with blokes called Steve or Dave. I want to see Sarah or Yasmin showing us how. Maybe I need my own channel with this new sense of ability. What have you fixed recently and you've thought 'go me'? Or you've managed to sort something handy out if your comfort zone? I was a single mum for years so used to do a lot of this sort of thing then got lazy!

Start it. I am sure it will be really welcomed.
There is a company called Pink plaster I think which is all women and it took market by storm. Women were more comfortable having other women at home.

I do boiler and radiators. Changing silicone and small bits all around. DH does screwing and drilling. I don't touch my DH's drill.
There is always something to do around the house

Our landing light didn’t work when e moved in - someone had wired the twin switches in wrong. I googled and used a decades old Readers Digest DIY book and fixed it. I was so pleased every time I turned the light on and it worked.

Since then I’ve changed a few switches and light fittings, fixed the shower pump, pretty small things but I’m still very chuffed with myself.

You did something that men can do too. If you make a fuss about it you are defining men and women's jobs.
We don't need to be told it's ok or to be encouraged because we are female, equality was here years ago.

I recently stripped the paint from our windows ledges and cast iron bay window columns, filled the cracked ledges, and repainted the ledges and columns. I'm so bloody proud of myself. I've even got an Instagram account for tracking my renovation progress.

To a PP, it's not about "doing something men can do" - DH is not DIY inclined, he wouldn't have just known what to do. We should celebrate learning new skills and achieving regardless of gender norms - I praise him for fixing the printer or digging up a tree stump, why shouldn't I praise myself for stripping paint and learning how to restore our original features?

I feel like this too. Youtube is great- it would be nice if Sarah and Yasmin were doing it; but I'm glad Steve and Dave do it. Agree about the new skills in general never mind the gender role- if I ever do get around to getting off my arse and learning to crochet via Youtube tutorials, I will think "go me" when I finish my first baby hat or whatever. I have a little "go me" moment when I bake anything as it's still quite a new thing for me. I bought bread flour and dried yeast yesterday for my first attempt at bread making- that'll be a "go me" moment if it's edible.

I admit I get an extra little frisson of "go me" if it's a stereotypically male job. The nice thing about the Youtube videos is that you can follow them in your own time, get it a bit wrong, pause and rewind and try again and again with nobody watching till you get it right. Dave and Steve are not going to step out of the computer screen and say "here love, let me have a go, hold the torch for me pet" leaving you standing like a lemon. Dave and Steve's mum are also not going to appear hovering over your shoulder saying, "Don't you think you'd be better paying to get a man in to do that?" if you haven't got the thing fixed in 30 seconds flat with no fiddling and no mess.

Youtube is a leveller, I think. In real life, IME men will help other men in a more collaborative way; trying to help women they will often take over to a much greater extent. In my first job as a vet I eventually banned my male boss from taking hold of the instruments when he was teaching me surgery as once they were in his hands I'd never get them back off him again. With Youtube you get the explanation without having to cede to the takeover.

I fixed our stuck sink plug with a suction cup dildo the other week and I haven't shut up about it since. I knew the idiot thing would be useful one day. Still smug.

equality was here years ago.

then why is is all Dave and Steve on the youtube videos?

what - why do you think its not normal for a women to be able to do these things?

I fixed the toilet after watching a YouTube video. I was ridiculously proud of myself. Not because I am female (if my husband was alive he wouldn’t have known what to do either) but because I had no idea what to do but suspected it was an easy fix.
Maybe Sarah and Yasmin are too busy fixing stuff (and doing the childcare and housekeeping) to make YouTube videos!

I've recently replaced brake lights and a wing mirror on my car, and unblocked my washing machine - I was obnoxiously pleased with myself after each one
I'm so quick to pay a professional (i'm fully aware that this is a privileged position to be in!) but all 3 of these were super easy after about 2 minutes of Googling and reading/watching.

Yep. I have unblocked a vile toilet, put up shelves, painted every room in the house, pulled up a carpet, sanded floors, designed and overseen an extension, kitchen etc. I count that as the dingbat builders kept trying to do things in blatantly the wrong order and I had to step in and project manage. Am a single mum but ex was fucking hopeless at anything remotely practical so used to do most stuff anyway. I learned to wallpaper from my dad too.

Because women have expected the men to do these jobs for so long, and still do, in many cases.
There's no reason not to do them in the first place, the precious wallflowers will still be the same irrespective of a youtube clip, even done by women.
Others have done DIY from the start, learning as they go along and really don't care if it's Steve or Angela if they need tips.

OMG. I have just returned to this thread while sitting in a cafe. I have been having a good laugh at your responses, people are now moving away!!!

Definitely learning any new skill, particularly as you get older and life crap gets in the way of sitting done and working something out for yourself is one of the small pleasures in life I think, especially when you have saved a £70 +VAT call out fee.

@grincheux you are my hero!
@powershowerforanhour you are so right on everything! I get so pissed off having things taken off me while I am trying to work it out.
@LadyGrey1013 I love 'obnoxiously pleased with myself' this is totally me.