do you get a kick out of "shocking" men by doing "manly" things?

Xiney

For example, just now our neighbour rang our bell because he'd gone into our backyard to get his kids' ball, and saw bike tools lying all around (I'd taken nearly everything out of my tool box in frustration at a chain link that would NOT unseize and was too exhausted once I finally got it to put them all back right away).

Anyway, he rang the bell wanting to ask if my boyfriend* was any good at fixing bikes because he's been having problems with his. I told him it was actually me who was fixing the bike this afternoon, and I'm not an expert but I'd take a look. Suddenly he decided he'd be better off just taking it to a bike shop :pac:

I'm not in the least bit offended, I mean, it's his own personal constructs and so on and it doesn't reflect on me at all. It just makes me laugh a little (ok, possibly more of an evil cackle) inside every time a guy starts acting funny because I've "out manned" him a little bit.


Anyone else feel the same?

Nevyn

Apprently being female and being able to do an oil change and air filter change is 'unnatrual'
tbh I don't consider such things manly if other's do thats thier issue and if women are put of trying them thats thier loss.

Xiney

Thaedydal wrote: »

I don't consider such things manly if other's do thats thier issue and if women are put of trying them thats thier loss.

yup, agree 100%

And I wouldn't think anything less of a woman who doesn't fix her own car/bike whatever, as long as it's because she's just not interested, rather than "that's not for women to do".

Otis Driftwood

IronyMaiden wrote: »

For example, just now our neighbour rang our bell because he'd gone into our backyard to get his kids' ball, and saw bike tools lying all around (I'd taken nearly everything out of my tool box in frustration at a chain link that would NOT unseize and was too exhausted once I finally got it to put them all back right away).

Anyway, he rang the bell wanting to ask if my boyfriend* was any good at fixing bikes because he's been having problems with his. I told him it was actually me who was fixing the bike this afternoon, and I'm not an expert but I'd take a look. Suddenly he decided he'd be better off just taking it to a bike shop :pac:

I'm not in the least bit offended, I mean, it's his own personal constructs and so on and it doesn't reflect on me at all. It just makes me laugh a little (ok, possibly more of an evil cackle) inside every time a guy starts acting funny because I've "out manned" him a little bit.


Anyone else feel the same?

"Out manned"
Thats awesome.:D

funk-you

Tbh, I'm an engineer, so i spend most of my time fixing things (career wise - high end servers) and can naturally see how most things work and can fix pretty much anything. One thing i've learned over the past while is that while there may be very few women who do the type of job i do, there are a lot of women who either have the natural linear thought process of engineers or women who are fascinated with how things work. Academic qualifications aside (i originally got the basic qualifications in college and eventually got industry qualifications later).

It may or may not be the whole manly thing but in my ignorance i was surprised at first with this. This quality definitely keeps me intruiged with my OH (who is an actress so i originally wouldn't of expected it - huge stereotype!). I also love this quality in her.

On the other side her dad...he's an extremely successful man, wiki page and all but mention words like welding or talk about building generators or my grandad/dad being mechanics his eyes kind of glaze over and you can see the awkwardness.

I wouldn't look down on anyone for not having the same curiosity about the workings of things in any way but am highly impressed by any man or woman in the same way who has this same curiosity.

-Funk

Xiney

My dad is a physicist, and he's got a name for that type of logic, funk-you: "the knack"

...I suppose it works less well on this side of the ocean. oh well.

funk-you

Thaedydal wrote: »

Apprently being female and being able to do an oil change and air filter change is 'unnatrual'

I don't think *most* men OR women would think this at all. Anyone who does is still living in the 50's. I think as a society we've moved on a lot further than that even though the guys who give the rest of us a bad name (ie: bad review will be spread to 10 people while a good one will be sent to 3) are louder so it sends the wrong message. A guy might feel intimidated but thats his problem and tbh most guys i know would get over it within seconds and it would turn to facination.

Thaedydal wrote: »

tbh I don't consider such things manly if other's do thats thier issue and if women are put of trying them thats thier loss.

Totally agree.

-Funk

StopNotWorking

I personally find it far more amusing to do extremely womanly things and see their reactions.

funk-you

IronyMaiden wrote: »

"the knack"

That pretty much summed up what i was trying (crappily) to say. I am fascinated in any man OR woman with this quality. Saying that i'm also fascinated with anyone with any curiosity or "Knack" for anything.

As papa Funk always said. "No matter what you do, try to leave the world that one bit better than it was when you arrived".

-Funk

congo_90

I recently helped a girl change the oil in her car and the filters.. She done most of the dirty work as she was curious having never worked under the bonnet before. She asked me along to make sure she didn't miss things because she hadn't full experience (neither do I). I didn't think anything strange of it. It was a fun afternoon

Red Hand

IronyMaiden wrote: »

My dad is a physicist, and he's got a name for that type of logic, funk-you: "the knack"

...I suppose it works less well on this side of the ocean. oh well.

My Dad had the same expression, so it works well over here too.

Sadly, unlike him or my brother I lack the knack.

PK2008

IronyMaiden wrote: »

For example, just now our neighbour rang our bell because he'd gone into our backyard to get his kids' ball, and saw bike tools lying all around (I'd taken nearly everything out of my tool box in frustration at a chain link that would NOT unseize and was too exhausted once I finally got it to put them all back right away).

Anyway, he rang the bell wanting to ask if my boyfriend* was any good at fixing bikes because he's been having problems with his. I told him it was actually me who was fixing the bike this afternoon, and I'm not an expert but I'd take a look. Suddenly he decided he'd be better off just taking it to a bike shop :pac:

I'm not in the least bit offended, I mean, it's his own personal constructs and so on and it doesn't reflect on me at all. It just makes me laugh a little (ok, possibly more of an evil cackle) inside every time a guy starts acting funny because I've "out manned" him a little bit.


Anyone else feel the same?

Pff..of course he didnt want you to fix his bike, how would you feel if he offered to varnish your nails or do the ironing





*runs*

Xiney

PK2008 wrote: »

Pff..of course he didnt want you to fix his bike, how would you feel if he offered to varnish your nails or do the ironing





*runs*

I'd be feckin' delighted!

In fact I regularly get my husband to do the ironing 'cause I loathe it (they're his damn shirts that need it anyway!)

valery

absolutely no reason why we cant mend the momo, only drawback is physical strength. apart from that ......rad belts, sparky things, jack, (whose he?), and loud enginy noises, spanner adjuster, more loud enginy noises, timing thingy, service intervals ????? every feckin night, but whats that got to do with the momo ? gimmie the tool box . :D:D:D:D. feck the mechanic.......literally:D:D:D:D:D.

Nevyn

" do you get a kick out of "shocking" men by doing "manly" things?"

No but I do get a kick out of 'shocking' idiots who make assumptions about me due to a whole range of things not just my gender.

I have quite the range of skills and just cos I do have as your Dad but it 'the knack' and love figuring out who things work and trouble shooting and am not fraid to pick up and use a pipe wrench or any other tool I also enjoy baking, crochett and own my own sewing machine.

valery

I was watching the oh goin about mending the momo a while back, i think there is a tradition thing here . men throughout (mechanical) history always fixed cars , except the odd exception when a woman took an interest . and why not? seems this has caught on , and why not? for me? noooooo thanks, leave it to the lads ....and the why nots. nice to have a laugh now and then though ....huh??:)

g'em

It sometimes amazes me how differently gender stereotyping is received in the forum depending on the sex of the OP and gender being stereotyped

I lift stuff (I know, I know, I've mentioned it a few times ) and I lift stuff better than many (most?) average guys out there. I used to get a right kick out of seeing their faces when a bloke would realise that this blonde chickeen could out-lift him on a bad day but now... meh. I regularly get accused of taking steroids, told I'm a freak and unfeminine - there's really no kick to be had from that.

I wouldn't change my sport for the world, but I don't feel so smug getting a kick out of it anymore.

Joey the lips

[quote=IronyM
aiden;60920895]. I'm not an expert but I'd take a look. Suddenly he decided he'd be better off just taking it to a bike shop :pac:

[/quote]


I hate to break your heart but this is the reason he did not let you take a look! nothing got to do with fear of the opposite! My brother being a man thinks he has the automatic right to fix things he is a brillinat window glazer but shag all use at much else!

If this fella is like me he values his bike and unless you know exactly how to fix gears etc you will not get near my bike.

I am not intemidated by anybody knowing more than me in fact if they can do it better.... be my guest!

Xiney

Well, you'd have had to have been there to see the look he gave me when I said it was me who'd been fixing the bike. And that was before I said I wasn't an expert... which is true. But I do know enough to not mess with something I don't know enough about. (For example, I would never try to straighten someone else's wheel - although I'll mess around with my own)

g'em - I agree but I think the way gender stereotyping is presented has more to do with it than the OP's sex. For example, I recognize that there is a stereotype but I put "manly" into quotation marks to denote that it is ONLY a stereotype and not a reality, whereas recent threads by the opposite sex have presented stereotypes as fact rather than tongue in cheek.

Wibbs

g'em wrote: »

I regularly get accused of taking steroids, told I'm a freak and unfeminine

:eek: May I suggest you suggest they take a trip to the optician? The most impressive thing I thought upon meeting you for the first time was knowing how much you could lift, yet you basically didn't look like you could lift that kinda weight. I seem to recall intimating that the weights were made of rubber.:D

As for mechanical stuff, one of the better mechanics I've met was a woman. Most women have little clue about the oily bits of a car. Same goes for most men, they just appear to know because they have the jargon. That's about it(ask any mechanic and stand back and wait for the funny stories).

I do think there are very basic things everyone should know and a surprising amount don't. Things like do you know where the tap to shut off the mains water is in your house/apartment? The main electrical switch? How to change a car wheel? Dip the car for oil? Number of the local Garda station(quicker than 999 usually), number of nearest doctor, plumber, sparks. That kinda stuff.

A woman mate of mine who would be pretty clued in about cars, once rang me to show one of her exes how to do a simple oil change. She was going to show him, but figured his ego wouldn't be able for it(esp given he was an engineer). The guy was clueless mechanically. Everything took three attempts to get the message across. I blamed my teaching style, but onlookers reckoned no, he was grand in theory, woeful in practice.

I have had otherwise very clever exes who had no clue about many practical household/car mechanical things mainly because daddy or previous boyfriends had done everything for them. This was fine by them and somewhat understandable. I always figure that it's good to have some knowledge in case of emergencies or simply so you don't get ripped off. I've seen women especially needlessly get ripped off by garages. Really p*sses me off that guff.

I may have been crap in bed, useless cheapskate boyfriend and all the rest, but at least every one of my exes knows how to change a wheel, check the oil and check the brakes on their car(and one clued me in on basic plumbing and electricity in return).

Tupins

Ha - really enjoying this thread. I am female but I like to at least try to fix things myself first and if I can't I'll ask my husband / dad. I'm not very strong so anything heavy I don't even try but I know how to change a plug / where the trip switch is and other seemingly easy peasy stuff that a lot of women (and men) can't do!

My first car was a complete banger so I was often to be found at the side of the road under the bonnet checking / adding oil or water or something simple like that. Without fail I was approached by men offering help each time. I'm not complaining - it was extremely nice of them to offer but they often looked suprised when I would tell them I had it under control.

I always add air to my own tyres but I know a lot of my female friends would get their partners to do it - I really don't understand this. I also know how to change a flat and have done in the past although if the previous tyre has been attached using that machine to tighten the nuts then I may need help with opening them - again, it's always my physical strength (lack of) that lets me down.

I've always had a few basic tools around the house, even when I was singe. Just a hammer and a few screw drivers that sort of thing. (I know how to bleed a rad too ). I do enjoy trying to fix stuff around the house - my husband winds me up by singing the McGuyver theme tune whenever I start fixing stuff

Khannie

g'em wrote: »

told I'm a freak and unfeminine

Having met you in the real world I can say that you are both unfreakish and feminine.

Definitely on roids though.






To those without a sense of humour, the roids thing is a joke

LouOB

I remember once in the gym carpark I was putting oil in the car
My car just eats the stuff
Anyho, there I am with bonnet open putting in oil
A guy asks if Im ok

Fair play to him for asking but.. I know what Im doing

BF doesnt even know how to turn of water from mains etc
But is handy with the drill (no pun intended)
But some guys get all defensive or wounded if they realised they are conversing with an educated woman. You can actually see the turn in their face
Funny really
But just goes to show why men cant handle 'real' women IMO

ciagr297

my dad is a DIY guru (or at least he thinks he is) so i've always known how to do some of the boy things around the place - rewiring plugs, changing fuses, repairing leaks etc etc
only one of my exes was ever very DIY savvy so i've managed to surprise most of them at some point
the one thing i wish i was better at is car maintenance cause my sister is great at that stuff

although i do recall Wibbs commenting that i have a tendancy to think like a male:D

when i want to, that is:D:D

Wibbs

Tupins wrote: »

I also know how to change a flat and have done in the past although if the previous tyre has been attached using that machine to tighten the nuts then I may need help with opening them - again, it's always my physical strength (lack of) that lets me down.

Handy trick; either get one of those + shaped wheel nut thingys* or a longer wheel nut thingy* specifically for your car. If you do get the + shaped yoke* work out which of the four sockets is the right one and put a bit of paint or gaffa tape on that spoke, so you're not trying to work out which one fits in the rain or dark. Then get a length of pipe, say 2ft long in old money - a section of old steel/aluminium vacuum cleaner pipe is ideal and slide it over the bar as leverage. That'll crack the seal on any nut. I'm both weak and lazy. Always the best people to ask. Hard working types rarely come up with good solutions, it's usually the lazy ones.:D



*apologies for the technical terminology...

Piste

Heh when I saw the title of this thread I thought it was going to be abould butch things like searing and scratching your bits in public. I was shockefd that anyone could get a kick out of being so unladylike! I'd like to be good at DIY stuff. I built a bookcase a few months ago, by which I mean I assembled from flatpack. I was very proud of myself for having made something useful!

barbiegirl

My da was a plasterer, and general builder, so we knew how to do most stuff by the time we started school. With 4 boys and 2 girls, us girls had to prove we could do just as much as the lads. Hence I still have my own tool box, can change a tyre and pretty much tackle most things. Plus as I learnt to play most sports with the boys or at least on mixed teams, I play like a lad and never back down. Then at the back of it all I am a Barbiegirl who loves her girlie stuff too :-)

Wibbs

Khannie wrote: »

Definitely on roids though.

as an aside I just love the "oh it's the roids/drugs, you know camp" when dealing with many sporting achievements. Hell if steroids or any pill turned me into a muscled adonis that could cruise the tour de france without seriously hard work, I'd likely neck them in a heartbeat. A lot would. They don't. Even the freakishly huge bodybuilding types that may or may not be imbibing, spend years of dedication, watch their diet in a way that would put a weightwatchers type in the nutfarm while picking freakishly huge weights up and down to get those results.

They only time I notice this shock, is when I'm talking about my favorite sport, to someone who doesnt know any better.
It pees me off no end to have my opinion on it shot down by some gob****e knownauthing because I'm a "girly".
Those people are on the list.

Vegeta

Wibbs wrote: »

Handy trick; either get one of those + shaped wheel nut thingys* or a longer wheel nut thingy* specifically for your car. If you do get the + shaped yoke* work out which of the four sockets is the right one and put a bit of paint or gaffa tape on that spoke, so you're not trying to work out which one fits in the rain or dark. Then get a length of pipe, say 2ft long in old money - a section of old steel/aluminium vacuum cleaner pipe is ideal and slide it over the bar as leverage. That'll crack the seal on any nut. I'm both weak and lazy. Always the best people to ask. Hard working types rarely come up with good solutions, it's usually the lazy ones.:D



*apologies for the technical terminology...

Those + wheel braces are crap. The turning force is applied too far from the nut and a lot of the force is therefore turned into a downward shearing one. Cut a nut clean off with one last year, outside work, 23 miles from home and had to wait quite a while for my brothers to turn up with a lump hammer, wd40 and a "powerbar"

Get a "powerbar" they're about 2ft long and take a 1/2" socket of any size (can therefore be used on any car) Great yokes. Also get some copper grease for the wheel nuts, prevents them rusting onto the hub and being extremely difficult to remove

Malari

Moonbaby wrote: »

They only time I notice this shock, is when I'm talking about my favorite sport, to someone who doesnt know any better.
It pees me off no end to have my opinion on it shot down by some gob****e knownauthing because I'm a "girly".
Those people are on the list.

Yep, I notice it with sports a lot. Or with contraversial opinions even :rolleyes: as if I should be refined and lady-like.

My boyfriend is a DIY genius so he does all that stuff around the house and car. I could probably manage a good bit of it, but he does it better and faster so I leave him at it