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Lack of Respect Because of Your Gender?
check out my Females in the Fire service Group. I am not man bashing at all. I am just stating that i believe women that can do the job deserve equality!!! I do understand that there are women out there that cant...'cuz I have them on my department TOO, however those are the ones that give chics like me who love to get dirty and get hot ( in a fire the that is) a bad name. Tell me your thoughts.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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"I once was lost, but now I'm found;
was blind, but now I see"!(wink)
The women responding here need to spend more time on their strengths and less on their weaknesses. Focus on the tasks, instead of the physiological differences between genders.
We have shunned the use of the term "fireman" and injected "firefighter" in its place.
Are you a "firefighter" or a "female fireman"? If you don't know the difference, that just might be your problem and the problems of several other women in the fire service. I am not gender biased even the teensiest, but when I read comments like "I can only do half of the job" then it chaps me that we wanted to be treated "equal".
You want equality? Then don't ask to be treated differently.
It's as simple as that.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Alana on
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I got mine off ebay... and the same people make other colors, including a hippy-esque tie-dyed hood that Damon Dyer uses (another guy who responded to this). I'm not sure what specific dye they use.
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Permalink Reply by Captain Jenner on
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Give me a break. My having a pink hood is no different than the decals everyone else has on their helmets. So if a guy has an Italian flag maltese on his helmet, does that automatically indicate he wants to stand out from the rest and isn't a real firefighter? That is ridiculous. And yes, yippee me, I have proved I can hold my own, do a great job and have earned my respect with my brothers- be they men or women, because does it really make a different in the long run? When I am chosing my teams, assigning tasks, taking in a crew; I don't see men and women, black and white, pink hoods or white, I see firefighters. A lot of departments in this area have members who use tye-dyed hoods instead of standard white or black. I wonder how you would view them.
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Good point. Maybe my Nomex hood is making me less of a firefighter. There's a few guys on here who have had a chance to stare at the back of my pink hood while they were backing me up. So, to my brothers, if I'm not being part of the team due to my choice in PPE you guys let me know. My mistake, I thought it was the rookie school, the training, and the fires that have made me a firefighter and all those hours on the hoseline that made us a team. I didn't realize all of that could be undone by a protective hood. I wish I could say I am surprised but, again, the biggest critics of female firefighters are other female firefighters. Guys seem to have a lot bigger fish to fry than harping about the decline of one's firefighting skills in relation to the color of his or her PPE.
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Wow, it seems that you are the one way too worried about what everyone else is doing to actually be doing the job on the fireground.
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Excuse me, I have to go do my nails in case we get a structure fire later. I wouldn't want to leave the house without a proper manicure. :P
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Pssst.
I am getting a mental picture of a penis with a fire helmet.
Maybe it's the thought of a pink Nomex hood.
But, but that would be just the opposite of wanting to look girly, wouldn't it?
Hoo boy.
Art
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Aha!
White for career; pink for volunteer.
I KNEW it!
Art
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Permalink Reply by Tony on
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[IMG]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x180/CWDude101/firefighters.jpg[/IMG]
Could not help but to read this and respond......so tell me which is the guy and which one is the girl?????
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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on
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Well, allow me to take the unpopular stance here....when you make comments like "chics (sp) like me who love to get dirty and hot"; it's titillation, which strikes me as being at cross-purposes to what you want.
I have a good friend in the medical business, she's a nurse practitioner and a damned good one. She's not a ho, she doesn't feel that she needs to act like a sexless harridan /man-hater to get her job done. She JUST....DOES......HER........JOB. Does she get some flack from men in her business? Yep. Does she get some flack from some women in her business? Yep.
Say, there's a novel concept.....just do the job and let the men who can't deal with it figure out what to do with their time when you won't play those reindeer games. Short of sexual assault or sexual harrassment, which should never, ever be tolerated, you're not going to be able to change everyone's opinion of you. That's a valid argument no matter what job you're doing or why that other person doesn't like you.
As long as you respect YOURSELF and at the end of the day know that you have done your job to the best of your abilities, and have treated others with respect...what more can you ask for? If you think you might have to work harder and smarter to get the same level of respect than the men do? Guess what? You might be right....but that's just the way the cookie is going to crumble. So you can either deal with it and come to terms with it, or move on.
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Permalink Reply by VIFirewoman on
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No that is not it that was just and example. I was never calling anyone a chauvinist...I was making a point but I guess it was not clear enough. Yes there are things that I may not be as suited to do as a man but there are things that I am better suited to do.. I am not going to get rowdy on this forum but I know I equally contribute to my team not only physically but mentally and emotionally.
Every station and department is different as well the topography, building structure, coverage area and number of residents that reside in that area. This contributes to the type of fires that primarily exsist in an area and the methods used to extinguish them. What is expected also differs.
For example, I live on an island with no more then 5 multi story buidlings ( some no more then 2 stories) We do not use 5inch hose line at this time, this does not exclude me from being abel to do it but it is not practical at this point. Can I do this - yes Iam sure I can do all the things you mentioned.We do however have hundreds of acres of brush fire yearly which requires pulling length after length of hose through ruggid terrain to protect million dollar estates no to mention like everyone else we are understaffed. Can I do this yes this too
Y is it that the strength of a women is always questioned here. There are just as many men (and women) who are physically not capable of doing certain things in the dept or on the scene. I have seen my share of overweight and unfit firefighters, their abilites are comprimised and that is by choice. A women being less strong then a man is by nature not by choice. I personally go to the gym everyday to ensure I am an asset in my department. Yes there may be some that a apprehensive about fighting fire with me because of all the above mentioend reasons but there are other who recognize my ability as well. Remember I passed the entrance Physical exam just like the other guys and in some instances better.
I do not feel that women should be treated different at all, I don't even think we need our own bathroom in the fire house! Furthermore, I can be hoset here and say I know I can do all the things you mentioned maybe not as easily or quickly as a man but I CAN do it I can also drive the truck!!!! and everything else associated with firefighting. I have the ability to keep it real with myself and not have an ego or be defensive.. Where does that leave you. .I thank you for your response so I can once again have the oppertunity to reevalute myself.. to make sure I am an asset
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I forgot since when is firefighting a single person effort, there is no I in team
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