Friday, July 07, 2006

women can't change water jugs

Or so it seems in my office.

Let me explain: In our office there resides a watercooler, just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill model, that will be permitted to sit empty, with its refill sitting on the floor, just waiting for a big strong male to happen by and make the switch. None of the women in our office (which comprises the majority of the office population) will attempt the operation.

As this has been the source of no small amount of curiosity on my part for some time now, I have observed the phenomenon carefully: Only in cases of extreme dehydration or some other form of desperation will one of them even approach making the switch herself. AND although I myself have performed the switch many times without incident and in the presence of my co-workers, they would all rather wait for a man (some of whom are arguably much less spry and able than me) to perform the task.

So what is this? Why, even in the presence of at least one able-bodied person (who happens to be female) do we have to wait for a man to grant us access to our water?

It seems so melodramatic- so damsel-in-distress... it drives me nuts. The scary part is that they just plain don't even think to ask another woman to help them out... it's just assumed that a man, regardless of his physical ability, is needed to do the job. Oi.

Just another illustration of the maddening ideas that persist concerning the abilities of people based on nothing more than gender.

9 Comments:

At 10:51 AM, Blogger Thérèse said...

Hmm.

That would annoy me greatly.

 
At 1:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ummhmm. I'm in total agreeance.

I mean it's okay to play a little damsel in distress if there happens to be a big, strong, bronzed, god who drops by your office, rips off his shirt, and changes the waterbottle. Clearly, changing the waterbottle in your office is this poor, poor, man's only reason for living - you wouldn't take that away from him would you?! ...

Opps... I think I just let my watercooler fantasy out of the bag...

 
At 6:32 AM, Blogger Jay said...

That's annoying.

I grew up in a house all of girls. We had no boys around; we did everything ourselves. It would never occur to any of us to wait for a man.

 
At 6:54 AM, Blogger jenn said...

Therese: Indeed ;)

michelle: Teehee... remember the Pepsi guy?? That's totally what I'm picturing... yum. I could probably learn to drink A LOT of water just so he would have to come by EVERY day ;)

Jay: Exactly! What the hell? I'm thirsty! I'm gonna get me some water. period.

 
At 1:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, but if women start lifting the water bottles, what are men supposed to do with our time?

 
At 7:39 PM, Blogger Lisa Dale said...

Hey Jenn, I finally found your blog! It's randomocity with a "C!" It makes so much sense now!

Maybe if someone told all these women that a jug of water doesn't weigh any more than a five year old, they'd pick it up.

 
At 6:33 AM, Blogger jenn said...

Neil: you might just find something useful to occupy your time... ;)

Monkey: Ouch! Sad but true. I'll give it a go and see what happens ;)

 
At 8:54 PM, Blogger Kirsten said...

I believe that this is an example of the feminist movement removing all of our perks as females.....what exactly has it given us in return? The right to go out and work while simultaneously (in most cases), having to run the household and look after the children and pets. The feminist movement should have stopped after the right to be persons and the right to vote.

 
At 6:38 AM, Blogger jenn said...

Quite right, Kirsten. God forbid we give women the same choices that men have or that we fight for a world where a woman can be as independent as a man if that is her choice. Would you really want to spend your life tied to a man for no reason but that your ability to feed yourself depends on his income. If you would, that's your choice, and I'm happy to say that the fight that "perk removing" feminists have fought all these years have made it just that- a choice. So, you just head right out there, find a man with a good income who'll consent to marry you so long as you sleep with him whenever he wants and have his dinner on the table on time, and I'll stick to paying my own bills and lifting water jugs, thank-you very much.

 

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