Women who work/have worked in fields dominated by men, how has your experience been? [x-post from AskMen]

I work on a crew of myself, three other women and then 60 guys (or more depending on the contractors that are needed). For the whole company it's about a 20% female split (but in my specific field in the company...yeah. Even fewer women).

  1. Some of the women I've noticed HATE seeing other women succeeding and getting promoted ahead of them. I've never understood it myself. Sadly it is there.

  2. To me, the guys are great. I'm assertive, however, and will broker no bullshit from them. The first guy to make a comment along the lines of "oh you must be on your period..." was quickly put down in his place. A few guys have tried to flirt with me as well and I've managed to turn it back around on them so that they're too embarrassed to try it again. No one has ever inappropriately touched me, no one has tried ANYTHING with me. I worked my way up in the company, they know what I'm capable of doing (both good and bad).

  3. We're taken way less seriously than our counterparts. Even when asserting MY authority in a certain area I have gotten push back (and told to mind my own business). After the whole altercation took place (publicly, and with me giving the guy a verbal spanking for acting immature) guys told me to 'eat a snickers' or to take a chill pill. They never told the other guy to say that. Some of the men DID give me some "atta-girl" high fives and back slaps though.

  4. Some of the guys slack off, and they rarely get a slap on the wrist. The women though seem to feel a need to work THAT much harder to prove themselves. (Not taking all of their breaks, pushing themselves when they have a cold, etc. etc.) It frustrates the SHIT out of me when I see it; I can't even run to the bathroom without having someone bitch about me not being there the second they need me, and then they get all flustered when I make a crass comment ("Sorry, I'll just start pissing in my garbage can so I don't inconvenience you in the future.")

  5. The worse gossips I have ever encountered are a room full of men. Whether they're gossiping about their home life, or about who is sleeping with who at work...they will gossip about ANYTHING! Honestly I prefer it than when they try to discuss politics though...only because I don't agree with them AT ALL on their attitudes but don't try to convince them they're wrong (and to be fair they'll never convince me otherwise).

SO much other stuff, but off the top of my head that's all I can think off.

/r/AskWomen Thread