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Modern Major Misogynist

 "Tractor company?  Does your husband work there?"

"No, dude.  I work there."

"Oh.  Wow.  Okay."

Actual conversation with guy I met at the fair asking about the company t-shirt I was wearing that advertised said tractor company.  

As a woman who has worked in the administrative, creative and retail side of construction for over 15 years, sometimes I forget that the world doesn't always think like I do, and gratefully neither does my industry.  This isn't a statistical kind of blog, but I can tell you that more and more women work in construction than ever before.....and not just in office jobs like me!  Women are driving, repairing and operating heavy equipment.  They advertise it, sell it and negotiate pricing for it.  They own companies that use it and teach other people how to use it.  



Women.....gasp!  Get their hands dirty now!

(But to be fair whilst at the fair, I saw another man employed by the same company as me as we were both wearing work gear.  He didn't act shocked,  just pointed at me and gave the all-inclusive 'I got you' head nod.  That dude knows what's up.)

And it's not just the work environment where I'm realizing that some men out there are really missing what's happening in this modern world of 2023.  At the same county fair, I had a conversation with a 60-something Boomer man running a craft booth with his wife that wanted to make sure that I knew my priorities were out of whack.

"You should stop into our craft store."

"I don't really craft, but I'll share with my sister.  She's a crafter."

"Do you cook?"

"As little as possible, sir."

"Do you you sew?"

(spits soda)


This dude, y'all.  He would not let it go!  He was intent that there was some sort of woman's work that I knew how to do.   I wonder if he cried himself to sleep later remembering our conversation?  

To be truthful, yes I do cook.  When I have to.  And yes, I know how.  No, I don't dig it.  Yes, I can bake.  Yes, I can sew well enough to mend, darn and replace buttons.  No I can't make clothes or baby blankets.  And no, I don't really dig crafts much at all.  I'm not adept and I don't have the right kind of steady hand dexterity. 

But I do know how to drive, I can vote, own property and have my own checking account!  I wonder if Gramps has heard about all this yet????

I'm not even going to get into it here, but of course there is a much larger argument afoot.  The idea that women can be more and do more and always have done more than just baby-having and housekeeping.  And please, let's not argue, these are good pursuits.  Once upon a time a Young Becky was doing them too.  Isn't it incredible, folks?  That a woman can actually do more than one?  Some early in life and others later?  And some......now hold on to something, gentle readers......can do MORE THAN ONE OF THESE TASKS AT A TIME!!!!!

I'm starting to realize this attitude and choice of profession may be hurting me in my dating.  

"Working in construction....that's pretty male-dominated, isn't it?

"It definitely is.  I work with and around men all day."

"Then why are you on a dating site?"

"Say again?'

"Don't you meet plenty of men all day that you could date?"

"Not really the goal of my job, but thanks."

I feel the need to say here that all of these conversations are true and actually happened.  If I wasn't the tough girl that I am, I guess I would have scampered back under my Holly Hobbie bedspread right now. 

(Remember the old school Holly Hobbie?  The mom of one of my junior high boyfriends cross-stitched and framed one for me.  She probably felt bad because I couldn't do it myself.)



I had a single male friend tell me recently that guys had no idea what was expected of them anymore.  

Say it ain't so, darling!

Us women have to bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan.  But first we have to find the pig, make sure it has been treated fairly in the barnyard, slaughter the pig, clean up the mess, pay all the parties involved in this process and say a little prayer for the pig's departed soul.  

Don't talk to me about expectations.  

And please don't talk to me about being the model of the modern major general. Us ladies are all over here trying to scoop dirt, raise chickens and babies and settle payroll too.  We ain't got time for your sewing nonsense and gourmet bullshit.

Boomer, please!

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