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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Women in 'men's' jobs

265 replies

WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 18:05

Leading on from the thread about why trade/construction jobs aren't more widely considered outside of the working class, I feel the same way that they're never really something us females are ever told much about.

WC lads often do pretty shit at school, but then end up ok after finding a trade. Maybe not earning £100k bigshot money but £40k+. However, I feel wc class women often end up in shit retail jobs or serving coffee etc.

I'm a female trucker in the construction industry, getting all my qualifications for site management etc. Trying to decide whether I'd rather be in transport or site management. But right now I love my job and earn circa £40k in an environment I Iike. Hate offices tbh.

I think despite people saying that male dominated sectors are hostile to women, I reckon many wc women would feel less intimidated in the sort of environment I work in than in a corporate office. They'd be working with the kind of guys they're married to, grew up with, and less likely to feel looked down on - people tend to be pretty snobby in this country even if most people claim to value 'diversity'.

I feel like a lot of women moan about 'not enough women in xyz sector' but not many want to lead by example. Will post some pics of some of the women I find inspirational as they seem to be pretty much ignored despite all the talk of male dominated this and that.

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RedCarsGoFaster · 13/11/2021 18:49

I was a nightclub bouncer at university. One of only 3 women in the city (small community).

I joined the police - huge boys club. Massively machismo.

5yrs in construction health and safety. Same issues of the ladies loos being used for storage if they existed at all. Very little overt sexism, but I'm an accomplished user of dirty looks which tend to deal with these arseholes very quickly. A few aggressive types who didn't like a woman telling them what to do, but I'm also accomplished at dealing with this.

Now working elsewhere in the criminal justice system. Another big boys club, however I have a fab boss who believes only in skills and work, so recruits fairly and openly so I'm on an excellent and mixed team.

NeedsCharging · 13/11/2021 18:51

Sorry White
But "happy to piss on the seat" blokes not caring is only adding to the problem.
My brother and my son are labourers. They work way from home on site.
They are not feral.

WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 18:54

Some of the ladies I follow on the gram....

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WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 18:58

Don't know why didn't show in previous....

Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
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gofg · 13/11/2021 18:59

I don't live in the UK, but it's quite common for women to work in "men's jobs" here, no-one thinks anything of it. The UK still seems to be very conservative in many ways to me.

WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 19:01

Love it!

Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
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WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 19:02

@gofg

I don't live in the UK, but it's quite common for women to work in "men's jobs" here, no-one thinks anything of it. The UK still seems to be very conservative in many ways to me.
It certainly seems like many of the women truckers I follow that aren't in the US are in places like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, etc.
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WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 19:05

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Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
Women in 'men's' jobs
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WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 19:10

Can't seem to post any more. Wasn't aware mumsnet had a limit.

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Footprintsinthegrass · 13/11/2021 19:12

I'm a farmer, I work alongside my husband but I'm definitely a farmer in my own right. The farming world is changing lots and I've seen lots more women giving it a go in the last 5 years, it's fantastic.

My car mechanic is also female and I've so much respect for her. She's told me so any stories about how she's been treated. Not many people bat and eye now but 10yrs ago she had a hard time

flowerycurtain · 13/11/2021 19:14

Hello. Farmer here. Can load a grain lorry with the the best of them despite the lorry drivers disbelief in me!!!

Completely agree that it's to do with flexibility. You have to put in the hours to get a good wage often in these sorts of jobs.

flowerycurtain · 13/11/2021 19:15

@Footprintsinthegrass Hi fellow farmer. I too married a farmer but am also a farmer in my own right. There's loads more women now I agree.

Camomila · 13/11/2021 19:16

Ooh I studied this a bit for my dissertation. Girls that do engineering/STEM apprenticeships tend to do really well, and also women do well in transport (because it is heavily unionised).

Tfl is a great employer if you live in London - DH started off on the stations but moved to the office and now mainly works from home.

supremelybaffled · 13/11/2021 19:17

There sure are some spectacularly stereotypical sex/class generalisations in your OP, aren't there?

And for that reason, I'm out.

TractorAndHeadphones · 13/11/2021 19:21

@supremelybaffled

There sure are some spectacularly stereotypical sex/class generalisations in your OP, aren't there?

And for that reason, I'm out.

Where?
Shedmistress · 13/11/2021 19:21

Ex civil engineer here. Also worked for CITB in management roles. I was on sites in the late 80s and 90s moving into management in the 2000s.

What can I say about the hours, we were expected to be there earlier and later than the men to prove we deserved to be there. Sigh.

TractorAndHeadphones · 13/11/2021 19:22

Also OP can you post the links to their 'grams I'd like to follow it too

TractorAndHeadphones · 13/11/2021 19:23

@Camomila

Ooh I studied this a bit for my dissertation. Girls that do engineering/STEM apprenticeships tend to do really well, and also women do well in transport (because it is heavily unionised).

Tfl is a great employer if you live in London - DH started off on the stations but moved to the office and now mainly works from home.

Do you have links to your research - I'd love to see it! Very interested in this as I'm a programmer and there's lots of these diversity etc programs floating around (sorry OP not quite relevant to your post). They all seem to miss the point spectacularly though
WhiteVanWoman91 · 13/11/2021 19:24

@NeedsCharging

Sorry White But "happy to piss on the seat" blokes not caring is only adding to the problem. My brother and my son are labourers. They work way from home on site. They are not feral.
Sorry to sound like I'm knocking the lads but you'd honestly not want to use the portaloos at 99% of the sites I work at. Luckily many now actually have separate loos attached to the site offices with running water cubicles, increasingly more an actual ladies loo.
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Scrowy · 13/11/2021 19:24

@Footprintsinthegrass

I'm a farmer, I work alongside my husband but I'm definitely a farmer in my own right. The farming world is changing lots and I've seen lots more women giving it a go in the last 5 years, it's fantastic.

My car mechanic is also female and I've so much respect for her. She's told me so any stories about how she's been treated. Not many people bat and eye now but 10yrs ago she had a hard time

Yes farming is a profession in which it genuinely seems its now just as likely to a daughter taking over than a son, and mostly people aren't batting an eyelid about it.

Although women have always been present in farming, they just often didn't get the credit or the acknowledgement for it until recently.

TheMoth · 13/11/2021 19:30

A lot starts at home, then permeates into school. We tend to get an equal mix doing hospitality/ cooking. But DT is all boys. Health and social all girls.

A level too, is becoming more polarised. Boys doing lit used to be rare, now non existent. Makes me wonder why we're still studying so many dead white men.

We've always encouraged our dc to go for their strengths. But I still see hints of dh's upbringing, when he talks about ds doing an apprenticeship. Ds is academic through and through. He will probably end up doing History or politics. Dd is the doer, the lego builder extraordinaire and logical thinker, but dh doesn't quite know what to say to her.

Ricetwisty · 13/11/2021 19:31

I don't think the jobs in these fields is promoted as a viable option in schools at all really. I remember one of the boys in sixth form was looked down on for going on to study plumbing even though he achieved really high grades. He excelled and has his own business and earns as much if not more than if he gone into a different career. I think that a lot of jobs aren't family friendly like truck driving, and although of course mums should be equal to dad's I don't know many who would want to be away much etc. If they were encouraged as good careers, which they are, and conditions improved probably more people overall, including women, would want to do them.

I work in a male dominated industry, it has probably worked in my favour to be honest though as I have had great opportunities to promote encouraging women into the industry etc which has been interesting and enjoyable.

lomaamina · 13/11/2021 19:32

This is so interesting. There was a BBC series a few years ago called "no more boys and girls" which had a segment where the children in a primary school class were asked to imagine what a car mechanic looks like and then what a ballet dancer looks like, followed by the opposite to the expected stereotype walking through the door, much to their excitement (the boys were very impressed by the male dancer's athleticism Smile). I couldn't find that clip but here's another that I think is very telling about our expectations for our sons and daughters: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05d9kmg

IloveRitaConnors · 13/11/2021 19:36

I worked in the motor trade for 12 yrs, also police for 6/7 yrs. Both male dominated areas. Comparing it to education /schools I have worked in which were female dominated areas, I personally felt more comfortable in the male dominated areas.
I have always naturally went against stereotypes and challenged any stereotypes I have come across either my own or other peoples, even as a youngster.
I suppose some are more naturally comfortable with this and others, well it may just take a bit more time. Who knows.......

Camomila · 13/11/2021 19:39

@WhiteVanWoman91 DS1 has commandeered my laptop to watch youtube but I'll have a look for you later/tomorrow Smile