Am I going to need a feminism icon? Oh god.

[dragojustine]

- The Feminist Carnival of Sexual Freedom and Autonomy is back, with tons and tons of really good links to thinky thoughts.

- Why This Queer Isn't Celebrating is also good in the thinky-thoughts department.

- Sexism at the Home Depot, part God-knows-what in a series: I walk in to the hardware department to ask the guy- a charming grandfatherly type of gentleman- some questions about changing locks. He says to me (I quote) "Do you have a husband? I can just show you what to buy, and he can take care of it real easy."

*facepalm*

He went on to be really really nice to me, including grabbing a screwdriver and unscrewing one of their display models to show me. Which was interesting and helpful even if it was patronizing ("Now, you'll just have to borrow a Philips screwdriver- that's one like this, see, with a cross on it?" OH GOD), and I'm glad he did it.

I am always amused by the allowances we make for generational differences. I mean, if he had been under 30, I would have been really sorely tempted to punch him in the nose, and I would have walked out fuming. Instead, the guy was over 65 and I'm just shaking my head ruefully and going "oh, bless his heart."

Comments

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Oh, he didn't! ::jaw dropped:: I'm shaking my head here because, I'm not usually fond of sensitivity training and all that, but oh boy, does he need some!

I recall a doctor telling me, at the age of 25, 'that's a big word for a little girl to use' when I told him I had dermagraphism. I was too stunned to really give my reply the snark he deserved.

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

Oh God, seriously? Yes, how strange for you to know a very uncommon word... *that directly affects your health!* Gah! And... LITTLE GIRL? For real? Man, I'm okay with going "bless his heart" when it's somebody I'm making a one-time purchase from, but I sure hope you found a new doctor FAST.

And yeah, there seems to be just something about Home Depot in particular. I've collected quite a string of these, from four different stores since I moved to Texas. (even though I only wrote about one of them, here. (http://dragojustine.livejournal.com/44818.html#cutid1) And that one was subtler but made me way madder)

[the-shoshanna.livejournal.com]

I recall a doctor telling me, at the age of 25, 'that's a big word for a little girl to use' when I told him I had dermagraphism. I was too stunned to really give my reply the snark he deserved.

When I was about 32 and a grad student at Johns Hopkins, I had severe back spasms and was referred to the head of sports medicine there (en route to an eventual physical therapist, who did wonders). This late-middle-aged male doctor -- who had with him a younger male trainee doctor who was supposed to observe and learn from the great man -- did some screening to make sure I actually had a back injury rather than, y'know, spinal cancer or whatever: did I have tingling or numbness elsewhere, etc. And as we sat in chairs facing each other, he gestured vaguely toward my groin and asked, "Do you have any trouble with your -- goodies?"

I KID YOU NOT.

I did manage to say, "Is that what they taught you in medical school?"

dragojustine, you were a lot more generous to the Home Depot guy than I think I would have been. But then, I'm a lot closer to his age!

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

*jaw drops* That is really amusing, in a "God help us" kind of way.

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

I'm typing with my jaw dropped and my eyes wide. Goodies? Good grief.

That's just... are no words.

[fakymcfakerson.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I don't know whether it's because of my physical appearance or what (fat chicks have to do this sort of thing by themselves, you know, and don't have recourse to their handsome male neighbors ;) ), but I tend not to get that. I usually replied (not thinking of it) with a "haha, no, just me! (and if they were unconvinced...) but don't worry, I'm a quick learner/worked in construction/seen it done before and just need a refresher! *charming smile!*" Or, more lately- "hahah, oh, he's hopeless with repairs! I guess I'll just have to learn! *charming smile*" Generally they're aware of women's lib enough not to argue, and I'm usually oblivious enough to give honest answers. And the charming smile never hurts.

And... I think those things come with instruction booklets, actually, anymore. Locks/door handles are dead simple. You just take the Philips head screwdriver- that's the one with the cross... ;)

That reminds me- when we moved into our place, and I was tired of teaching Dave what's the what re: basic home repair, I got him the much-lauded women's repair book "Dare to Repair." When Dave was done with it and his brother Mark got his own place... the book was transferred. Ah, gender roles. So quaint. :)

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

Awww, cute.