I'm going along my work day....doing what I have done for most work days since 1988. You know...engineer stuff. Things have changed quite a bit since in 20 years. Some things haven't. Twenty years ago I was one of four female civil engineering construction graduates in a class of 100. I'm happy to report that 50% of the engineers in our firm are women. Our most experienced construction inspector is a women who is highly respected by the contractors she oversees. I am no longer an oddity but more the norm. So, you would think the rest of the construction world would get a clue.
So, back to today and the engineering stuff I was doing. To keep it simple, I'm helping the president of the firm put together specs for wastewater treatment plant expansion. It's a pet project of his and he's been working with all the equipment vendors and he sends the info to me to cull through and mold into a spec for the contract documents. There was one piece of equipment he was hesitant to send to me. He's known me since we spent hours on the phone together at NC State working through hydraulic problems and concrete design. He knows how short my fuse can be. Finally, he forwards the manufacturer's cut sheets to me, prefacing it with "Can you believe they still use this kind of crap?"
This is a mechanical bar screen. It is a large piece of equipment that is usually the first obstacle sewage reaches at a wastewater treatment plant. It pulls all the really big non-organic things out like diapers, raincoats, tires, bicycles and other things you really don't want to know are in there. My first question: Do you think this woman has any idea of what she is modeling? Is she embarrassed? I would be.My second question and the one I told the Prez he could relay to the equipment vendor: Who the $%*@ does he (and of course, it has to be a he) think he's dealing with? If his company is stupid enough to use this type of antiquated marketing ploy, why should I spec their equipment? And no, putting some shirtless young male in a bar screen isn't going to trip my trigger either.
I laughed it off at first, but the more I think about it, the angrier I get.
Yeah, we've come a long way baby.
10 comments:
Ugh! I can see where they might want to give a sense of scale (ask my DH about his "modeling" with loom beams for his old co.) but come on!! And any coincidence to the shape of that opening? Me thinks not...NO SPECS on that one!
Its not much better in the textile industry. But as our competition becomes more global...the days of the "good old boys" is coming to an end. Most of them that made a lot of money and didn't really do any work are gone now. I too had one class where I was the only female. Our class was 30% female however. Thats why I insist on getting my neice the same type of puzzles, science projects and mechanical toys that the boys get...I think too often (unintentionally) little girls are handed dolls instead of legos. OK off the soap box!
Obviously we haven't come far enough!
Ridiculous. Is this for real?
Unfortunately yes, it is for real. It's been a few years since I've had this type of sexist display thrown in front of me at work though so maybe it's getting a bit better.
Yeah, you're right... at least she's not in a bikini!
LMAO at Mrs. Goodneedle's comment...i was about to say the same thing...20 years ago, she would have been in a bikini :) hehehehe
Whether or not we like it sex seems to sell. I hear advertisements saying things like "this phone is sexy" and I think huh? how can a phone be sexy? or a refrigerator or a broom or any other thing they put attach that term to? It's only when we stop buying that will stop marketing with sex. blessings, marlene
Love your new blog look. It is so interesting the way women are displayed in ads.
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