I just find it funny that I've never actually seen a woman out in the streets in full construction worker attire, patching the public sewage system, handling a jackhammer or driving an asphalt truck.
Actually, the street where I live has just recently been recapped, and it was actually the first time I took notice of how all 15 workers or so were men. Some quite young, some in the verge of retirement. But all men. And only then I realized I had never seen a woman doing that kind of job.
I'm not saying that women are not capable of doing stuff like that, and I concede that it's possible that they aren't out there doing heavy work on the streets exactly because of sexism ("this is a man's job" - like in the army, the coal mines, etc). But
With that said, a "workers ahead" sign is just as accurate and informative, and might also signal the path to a more egalitarian society in the future. So I'm not opposed to this specific request, as it makes sense.
However, there's no doubt that this request was rooted in acute political correctness gone overboard, what with the bitchiness of the "we will not accept these subtle forms of discrimination" statement (when it's actually more of a cultural staple and relics of a different era) and the immediate lawsuit.
There are nicer ways to go about it and raise awareness without being an asshole and shoving your point down everyone's throats.
And that's the kind of motivation and attitude that we have to watch out for.
Actually, the street where I live has just recently been recapped, and it was actually the first time I took notice of how all 15 workers or so were men. Some quite young, some in the verge of retirement. But all men. And only then I realized I had never seen a woman doing that kind of job.
I'm not saying that women are not capable of doing stuff like that, and I concede that it's possible that they aren't out there doing heavy work on the streets exactly because of sexism ("this is a man's job" - like in the army, the coal mines, etc). But
With that said, a "workers ahead" sign is just as accurate and informative, and might also signal the path to a more egalitarian society in the future. So I'm not opposed to this specific request, as it makes sense.
However, there's no doubt that this request was rooted in acute political correctness gone overboard, what with the bitchiness of the "we will not accept these subtle forms of discrimination" statement (when it's actually more of a cultural staple and relics of a different era) and the immediate lawsuit.
There are nicer ways to go about it and raise awareness without being an asshole and shoving your point down everyone's throats.
And that's the kind of motivation and attitude that we have to watch out for.