The canals are male dominated........Really?

[MHS]

Back to my original post, it was more the fact that this project was needed to redress a problem.

 

A problem that I feel doesn't exist on the canal. There may be more male boaters, there may be more male single handers, but I cannot see how women are discriminated against on the cut.

 

Women feature heavily on our boat with my wife and two daughters. They enjoy all aspects of being afloat, and will help and chat with everyone and don't need their own "space"

Edited April 15, 2016 by MHS

[Catrin]

Yes, there are more male members of this forum than female, there are probably more single handed male boaters than single handed female boaters (and they are quite possibly more grumpy). However, what I see from this article is a complete lack of understanding of just how vibrant the arts scene is on the canal - reading this you would think it is a sterile wasteland.

 

There are already places that women can "take off armour and just relax and breathe a little". Women already give support to each other, both on the canal and in the virtual world.

 

As this is a 'women only arts space', does that mean that men will not be allowed on board? What about viewing the exhibitions?

 

Or is this just another case of a poorly researched and hastily written article to provide some 'filler'? Canals and boats seem to be a popular topic atm.

[Mike Todd]

Are we talking in euphamisims here?

 

Why-i, man!

 

Women teachers on Tyneside used (at least when we lived there in 70's) were often called 'Hey, miss, man"

[Klanky]

My wife is from Hemsworth, in between Barnsley and Wakefield.

 

"Eyup, cock" Or "cocker" is a fairly standard female to male greeting around them parts.

 

 

Or maybe they all just think I'm a cock.......

 

 

Anyway, I don't think the canals are dominated by males per se, I think the canals are dominated by Breton capped Harold Shipman lookalikes with a low tolerance of anything that doesn't fit in with their own blinkered and peevish world view

Edited April 15, 2016 by Klanky

[Athy]

 

 

 

Anyway, I don't think the canals are dominated by males per se, I think the canals are dominated by Breton capped Harold Shipman lookalikes with a low tolerance of anything that doesn't fit in with their own blinkered and peevish world view

...and as for the men...

[Klanky]

...and as for the men...

 

I'm feart to describe them........

[ditchcrawler]

American's seem to happily call each out Guy's regardless of gender

[tidal]

As a mere male I know I'm not the dominant gender anywhere even on a boat.

And yes I was given permission to post this (I was actively encouraged to do so in fact)

 

 

I never understood why women campaigned for equality.
Why the heck did they want to lower their status

[Athy]

 

 

I never understood why women campaigned for equality.

Why the heck did they want to lower their status

My late mother used to say similar - one of, from memory, her few reasonable and sensible utterances.

[Ssscrudddy]

 

Duck in Derbyshire....or rather I think it was duck..

 

In East Cleveland where I live everybody is 'mate'.

'Me duck' in Northamptonshire as well whether your'e a bloke or a bird.

I walked into a posh village pub one day many years ago (back when I was 19 slim & sexy), new wave punk rocker studded motorbike jacket, ripped jeans & t-shirt, a bolt on a chain around my neck, 1 of my own teeth as an ear ring, & a bright red mohican spiked up in 6 separate spikes as long as my arms could reach. The landlord jabbed a finger in my face & demand quite aggressively "DO YOU WORK?" Me, "Yes, & I've got a mortgage & everything & I'm married". Him "What'll it be then me duck?"...

Several pints later some very well dressed older lady walked in who was clearly loaded & clearly had never been there before, she got asked "What'll it be then me duck?"... she went ballistic at him accusing him of all sorts of sexism. & she was even less impressed with me when I pointed out to her that the older generation call everyone 'me duck'. But I did get a free pint out of it.

[Harpur Hill]

'Me duck' in Northamptonshire as well whether your'e a bloke or a bird.

I walked into a posh village pub one day many years ago (back when I was 19 slim & sexy), new wave punk rocker studded motorbike jacket, ripped jeans & t-shirt, a bolt on a chain around my neck, 1 of my own teeth as an ear ring, & a bright red mohican spiked up in 6 separate spikes as long as my arms could reach. The landlord jabbed a finger in my face & demand quite aggressively "DO YOU WORK?" Me, "Yes, & I've got a mortgage & everything & I'm married". Him "What'll it be then me duck?"...

Several pints later some very well dressed older lady walked in who was clearly loaded & clearly had never been there before, she got asked "What'll it be then me duck?"... she went ballistic at him accusing him of all sorts of sexism. & she was even less impressed with me when I pointed out to her that the older generation call everyone 'me duck'. But I did get a free pint out of it.

 

From Wiki.........

 

"Ey up" (often spelt ayup / eyup) is a greeting thought to be of Old Norse origin (se upp) used widely throughout the North Midlands and South Yorkshire, and "Mi Duck" is thought to be derived from a respectful Anglo Saxon form of address, "Duka" (Literally "Duke"), and is unrelated to waterfowl.^[5] Non-natives of the East Midlands are often surprised to hear men greet each other as 'Mi Duck.'^[2]

[ditchcrawler]

Maybe its just this forum that is male dominated, my wife steers the boat and works lock but she can't understand why I waste so much time on this computer

[Claude]

Some activities are male dominated, others are female dominated. That's life I'm afraid - different activities attract different people.

 

It strikes me as somewhat odd when some people would rather spend their time and energy promoting the equality of participation than actually doing the activity themselves - but each to their own - if they enjoy "campaign activities" and this gives them a sense of purpose then why not. However, if every activity had to be completely equal in terms of the gender and ethnic make up of those participating wouldn't life be a bit boring?

 

If people from a certain minority race or gender want to participate in an activity in which they are currently under-represented then what they have to do is take part. I don't really believe that the obligation should be on organisations representing certain activities to encourage diversity or somehow make those activities more amenable to minorities because I believe that this approach treats people like they can't do things for themselves and disempowers them. For a while minorities may struggle for acceptance, but again that's life and I can't think of another country in the world better evolved and predisposed for any minority to gain acceptance in any activity.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Claude

[smileypete]

Women are too sensible to do a lot of stuff blokes get up to.

[wrigglefingers]

Women are too sensible to do a lot of stuff blokes get up to.

Undeniably true. Doesn't explain my bagpipes though.

[Phil Ambrose]

 

 

Women are too sensible to do a lot of stuff blokes get up to.

Bloke stuff is the phrase I use when actually skiving and Chris asks me what I'm up to, she has never questioned me...... ......yet.
Phil Edited April 17, 2016 by Theo
sort out quote

[Witchword]

 

Women are too sensible to do a lot of stuff blokes get up to. [/quote

]

Bloke stuff is the phrase I use when actually skiving and Chris asks me what I'm up to, she has never questioned me...... ......yet.

Phil

Reminds me of the scene in Trainspotting in the nightclub and the girls are talking about the guys, the guys are talking about the girls. When they see each other and ask "What you talking about?" the girls reply in unison, "Shopping" and the men reply in unison, "Football".

[Theo]

Single handed Lady boaters are noticeable because there aren't many, consequently they are memorable.

 

I think this distorts the picture.

 

In my experience they are very open and friendly, whereas a percentage of single handed gents have been quite grumpy and verging on the downright rude.

 

I've never found that attitude (yet) with ladies (single handed or not).

 

Rog

 

Maybe it's my natural sunny disposition

I would wholeheartedly agree with that. We met a female single hander on the K&A. Elderly she was and handled her boat very neatly. Nice and polite too.

 

N

[Theo]

I haven't particularly experienced the canals as a male dominated space, in my experience; I've known more female single handers than male.

 

This forum, however, most definitely feels male dominated.

 

I also have enormous sympathy for all women who experience - on a near daily basis - the low level sexism that can really wear you down. Catcalling, being asked to make the tea when you're the most senior professional in the meeting etc. If you find some of it hard to believe, I recommend the Every Day Sexism project, which collects and collates women's experiences. http://everydaysexism.com/

Here's a good one from SWMBO (Her CWDF name is Thea but she never posts. She is a keen lurker, though)

 

Thea was wielding the windlass at a lock

 

GONGOOZLER: I see he makes you work the locks, dear. Can you manage all right?

 

THEA: Yes I'm fine thanks. We take it in turns. We both like working and steering.

 

Theodora approaches and enters the lock, expertly handled by me. Not touching the sides.

 

G (Who doesn't seem to listen) I can see why he doesn't let you drive.

 

T turns away in mild frustration and tells me all about it at length when she boards Theodora again.

 

I have hardly every had any comments about working arrangements except recently on the Stratford where that lock has an overshort bit of metal lattice work set at right angles to the gate and is consequently a brute for someone of my stature to operate. This chap complimented me on my gentlemanly behaviour because I was working the lock. It seems that lots of men are horrible people for making their other halves work.

 

N

Edited April 17, 2016 by Theo
typo

[Theo]

American's seem to happily call each out Guy's regardless of gender

And that has certainly come over here too. We were both (SWMBO and I) addressed as "guys" at Blethchly park when we visited today.

 

N

[Catrin]

Here's a good one from SWMBO (Her CWDF name is Thea but she never posts. She is a keen lurker, though)

 

Thea was wielding the windlass at a lock

 

GONGOOZLER: I see he makes you work the locks, dear. Can you manage all right?

 

THEA: Yes I'm fine thanks. We take it in turns. We both like working and steering.

 

Theodora approaches and enters the lock, expertly handled by me. Not touching the sides.

 

G (Who doesn't seem to listen) I can see why he doesn't let you drive.

 

T turns away in mild frustration and tells me all about it at length when she boards Theodora again.

 

I have hardly every had any comments about working arrangements except recently on the Stratford where that lock has an overshort bit of metal lattice work set and right angles to the gate and is consequently a brute for someone of my stature to operate. This chap complimented me on my gentlemanly behaviour because I was working the lock. It seems that lots of men are horrible people for making their other halves work.

 

N

Gongoozlers always seem to think that I must be working harder than OH, whatever I am doing.

 

Typical comment from the towpath as I steered Sickle through Braunston, following Flamingo closely "Oh, I see that he's got you doing the hard work and steering the working boat" Arggh!

[patty-ann]

People just love to talk and for want of something to say revert to old cliches ...they think they are being amusing and original..fact is what they say is repetitive and boring...they don't want to listen so cannot change opinion since they are "right" in their eyes.

[Phil Ambrose]

People just love to talk and for want of something to say revert to old cliches ...they think they are being amusing and original..fact is what they say is repetitive and boring...they don't want to listen so cannot change opinion since they are "right" in their eyes.

Patty Ann, you hit the nail on the head with that post, it's rather like the old " bet it's cold in the winter on there" sigh, if I had a pound.........

Phil

[blackrose]

Women are too sensible to do a lot of stuff blokes get up to.

I hate this sort of "men are stupid" nonsense. Women do plenty of stupid things too.

[blackrose]

Undeniably true.

Not so, I just denied it.